Naruto:Wavenin
by Dcharger
Summary: Naruto always wanted to be a ninja, but there was no academy or even a ninja village in the small country he grew up in. Self-thought Naruto. Naruto/Inari brotherly fic. Starts at the beginning, so baby Naruto at first. NO YAOI! pairings? I'm not sure.
1. prolouge

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Tazuna had come out Konohagakure to look into the jobs that were being offered to carpenters to help rebuild the village after the war with Iwagakure had ended. He was late thought and all the positions able were taken, the damage having been minimal considering that the Iwa-nin never really launched a direct attack on Konoha.

On his way out of the village a huge cloud of smoke erupted from the center of the village. Tazuna was surprised but shook it off as it being a ninja thing. That was until he saw a giant red paw shoot out of the smoke and bring down a house.

He had wanted to help but he was no warrior and was old and as such would only get in the way of the ninja. He chose to leave the village and return a week later, in hopes that the monster would be taken out and, by the look of things the village would need a lot more repairs by the time that was over.

Now, miles away from Konoha, he could still hear the screams. He downed another drought sake, wanting to block out the screams. Another eruption of smoke made him chock on his sake and go into a coughing fit. When his trough was clear of the offending liquid he turned the corner and saw same thing that he didn't wasn't to meet.

The giant paw that saw at the village was a few hundred meters away from him. His gaze traveled up the paw and to the leg that it was attached to, which in turn it was attached to a giant fox with nine tails.

A blond man was standing in front of the fox, holding up a red-haired woman, and was holding a blond baby in his other arm. He allowed the woman to kneel and seconds later chains shot out of her back and into the ground. The chains shot out near the fox wrapping around the beast and creating a dome around them all.

The couple exchanged a few words then the man stood and did a series of seals. After the seals were completed and the man exchanged a few more words with his wife, the Fox shrunk. The man dropped to his knees and a small crib surrounded by lit candles appeared and he placed the baby in the crib.

The Kyuubi moved to stab the boy with its claw, but the boy's parents jumped in front of the baby. The claw pierced through both but stopped before reaching the baby.

Tazuna ran over to the dome hoping to at least save the baby. While he ran through the trees his view was blocked and by the time he got there fox was gone. The blonde man was on the ground dead and the mother saying her final goodbyes. "Good-bye, Naruto, my son."

With that she died. The baby awoke and started crying. Tazuna was alone with a crying baby, whose parents had just died. No one was around. He walked towards the kid and picked him up. He would take the boy to his daughter. She and her husband had always wanted a son. Besides he wasn't going to leave a baby all alone in the middle of no where.  
>-<p>

A/N Okay. I decided to write this because I can't find any Naruto with a family that isn't Tsunade, one of the clans, Jiraiya or the Fourth. those are nice but i feel that they are a bit over done. Besides i like Inari and i think that Naruto actually growing up in wave would be interesting. I do need a name for Inari's biological father so if any of you have any ideas feel free to leave a review with the name. I'll try to update as soon as possible but i still have school until mid June and I need a name before I can put up the next chapter. Also my spelling isn't the best out there so f you spot any mistakes please point them out. i have been known to misspell my own name... ^_^


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Baby's Welcome

October 17 (Age 7 days)

The Leaf-nin had increased patrol around the boarder during the war. They had only become a bit more lax recently. Some of the ninja on duty had headed to Konoha due to the Fox's attack. Still the patrols had been, up until only a few weeks, very strict, making bandits few and far between, giving Tazuna safe passage to his home

He arrived to his home village around noon. Half an hour later he was only a few feet away from the front door to his, his daughter's and her husband's house. His daughter had married the year before, to a young fisherman who also happened to be the owner of a couple of warehouses and docks close to the village.

They both wanted kids, two boys and maybe a girl was what Kaito, Tazuna's son-in-law, said. Tsunami, his daughter said she would be fine with just the two boys. They were still young, Tsunami was had only turned 17 this year and Kaito was going to be 20 in two months.

Still they where both kind-hearted and would be glad to take Naruto in and raise him well. Maybe Naruto would end up with a little brother soon. Naruto, what a weird name, 'who would name their son after ramen?' Tazuna though with a snort as he covered the last few feet to the house, 'course it could also mean 'maelstrom' so it maybe okay.'

Tazuna paused at the door, holding the boy with one arm to look for his key with his free hand. When he finally opened the door he called "I'm home."

He heard clattering from the kitchen fallowed by, "Welcome home, dad, I take it there was no…" the voice trailed of as a young woman stepped out the kitchen and saw her father. She was slightly less than 5 feet tall, her skin was pale and her black hair reached below her shoulders. "Why do you have a baby with you?" she asked after staring at Naruto for a while.

Tazuna sighed, "His name is Naruto, or at least I think it is. It's what his mother called him right before she died. His parents where fighting a demon, "He explained and Tsunami gasped. "He was the only survivor and there was no one else there but me. I was not going to leave a defenseless baby out in the middle of the forest by himself."

"The poor thing, to lose his parents so young," She said sadly, before adding, "How old do you think he is?"

"I think that he's only seven days old. He couldn't have been more than a few hours old when the fight happened. The cord was still fresh."

Tsunami was silent for a bit, taking in the information that her father had given her. Then she asked, "What have you been feeding him?"

"Formula that I bought along with some clothes, dippers, wipes and some bottles."

"Wow, dad I didn't know that you knew so much about babies," she teased.

"Well I actually got help from the clerk, she seemed to know about that stuff," he admitted sheepishly.

Tsunami knew that she was hesitating. She wanted to know what her Father was going to do with the boy. Finally she asked, "What are you going to do with him?"

Tazuna was about to answer when the door opened behind him. A young man of 20 with short brown hair stepped into the house. When he saw that Tazuna he said, "Tazuna-san, you made back in time for lunch!" Then he noticed the bundle with short blond hair and asked, "Whose baby is that." After Tazuna told him the fate of the boy's parents he echoed what had been asked right before he came in, "What are you going to do with him?"

"Well I was hoping that you guys would take him in, you know adopt him. If you don't want to I can always just take him to he orphanage at the capital," said Tazuna.

The young couple looked at each other, trying to guess what the other was thinking. Finally Tsunami spoke up, "I don't know, Dad, it's a big respons…" she trailed off as the baby began to stir. His eyes opened and he turned towards her, eyes locking onto hers. His eyes were a deep, innocent blue and contained a certain mischievous and playful look to them. The gaze was curious and seemed to peer into her soul.

They held each others gaze for a minute. Then the boy gave her a big toothless grin, making the whisker-like birthmarks on each cheek standout and making him look cuter. His small hands reached for her and she found her own hands move to meet them. She took both hands in one of hers and the boy's smile grew wider and his eye's seemed to grow that much happier. She took him from her dad, never taking her eyes a way from Naruto's.

Something awakened within her. She wanted to protect the boy, to care for him. She wanted to see him grow into something great, to help him grow into something great. She wanted to be with him when he fell ill, to worry about him when he was sick, and to kiss away his pain when he scraped a knee.

She loved him.

She didn't know how it happened, but she loved the boy in her arms as if he were her own son.

Tazuna and Kaito watched as Tsunami's maternal instincts awakened and as she fell in love with the small boy in her arms. After a while Kaito said with a smile, "You fell in love already didn't you," it wasn't a question. "You know," he added, "I always wanted a son, so maybe we should take him in. Besides he has suffered enough already, judging from you told me, Tazuna. He deserves a loving family right?" Tsunami turned to him, a thankful smile on her face. Kaito started to walk towards Tsunami and asked, "Can I hold him?"

Tsunami handed the boy over to her husband and watched as a confused expression crossed the boy's face. Naruto studied the man that has holding him, taking in every detail of his face. Brown eyes meet blue. After a moment the blonds face broke into another smile, the same one he had given Tsunami. Tsunami was just taking in the image of her husband holding their new son.

Naruto was their son. He was her son.  
>-<p>

The days fallowing Naruto's arrival were very busy. Tsunami had to buy supplies such as dippers, more bottles, a pacifier, clothes, wipes and bibs. She also went to fill out the proper paperwork to legally adopt Naruto.

Tazuna was busy building a crib, a high chair, a changing table, a stroller and other things that would be needed. Every thing that Tazuna was simple, but smooth to prevent splinters, he even added carvings of toads to the headrest and footrest of the crib. Naruto seemed to like the toad because he would try to twist until he could see them and try to reach for them.

He and Kaito repaired one of the extra rooms and decorated it to Tsunami's room had been painted a bright royal blue, the only color that they found in Tazuna's workshop that wasn't need at the time.

Kaito had bought some more paints, orange and red orange. As the owner of part of the dock he didn't mind the extra expenses. He was not rich, but he had enough to support his family without to much struggle. With Tazuna's help it was even easier. Still he started to think about saving some money in case of an emergency. He was father now, and was planning on more kids, and something could happen to him.

Naruto was busy doing what babies do best, that is pooping, peeing, throwing up, eating, crying, and just plain creating more work for the grown ups. The only time that the htey had time to rest was when he slept, not that they minded.

Naruto was also a curious child, examining every nook and cranny of the world visible to him, which meant the ceilings of varies rooms and the faces of whoever held him.

He liked the people the best because they were always a little different. Sometime their hair was wet, sometime they wore different clothes. But the best thing about the people was that they talked to him. They all had something to say to him. He couldn't really understand them, but he could guess at what they were trying to say through there tones.

The old man with the glass and gray hair grumbled every time he had to take the sticky wet stuff away from his butt, so Naruto guessed that he didn't like having to do it. The younger man voice had a playful tone whenever he picked up Naruto, who could guess that the man was trying to make him laugh, so he did. The best was the woman she her tone was loving and as playful as the man's and she always had a smile on her face. That made him smile too. The one thing that they all had in common was that they all cared about him.

They were his Family. His father. His Mother.  
>-<p>

A/N Well no one left a name so I just took 'Kaiza' and dropped the 'za' replacing it with 'to'. It's not very creative, but I wanted to get the chapter out. Anyways there is a few more chapters before Inari is born. Also the updates won't be this fast. This ones only out because i use my math class to write out the chapters in a notebook then type it, that's what math class is for right? Also some chapters will be longer than this one, just to let you know.


	3. Chapter 2

Naruto: Wave-nin: Birthday and Big News

May 4 (Age 3.5)

The room was a bright royal blue, with orange stripes running from the ceiling to the floor, making it the most colorful room in the entire house. Shelves, filled with picture books and coloring books, and drawers lined the walls. The far right corner contained a low table topped with loose drawings and crayons. The floor was littered with toys and more drawings. In the far left size was a low-set bed with the head rest covered in carved toads and royal blue covers on the mattress. The bed seemed empty except for the small lump at the just below the orange-covered pillows.

The small lump began to stir and sat up causing the covers dropped to reveal the small blonde by the name of Naruto, eyes closed and arms stretching above his head, a wide yawn covering his face. He brought his blue pajama-clad arms down and rubbed his eyes. He removed his hands and opened his eyes to reveal sleepy blue eyes and whisker birthmarks, three on each cheek.

His small hand roamed around him, finally taking hold of a red bushy tail and pulling it to him. He placed the fox plushy, Kitsune-chan, between his arm and chest. Kitsune-chan had been a birthday present from Tsunami when he turned two. She always teased him about how his smile and birthmarks gave him a foxy look.

He looked around the room before letting himself fall back on the bed and close his eyes. A second later his eye opened and he let out a gasp. "It's today!" he whispered excitedly. Naruto kicked the covers away and swung his legs over the bed.

When his bare feet hit the hard-wood floor he took of running. When Naruto reached the door he had to stop and jump to reach the door nub, even thought he was now three he was still short for his age.

The hallway was filled with the pitter-patter of bare feet against hard-wood floors, as Naruto ran to his parent's room, slipping only once. Repeating the process with the door again he stepped into the room and disappeared into the bottom of his parent's bed. A lump moved under the covers until a blonde mop of hair appeared on the pillows.

Naruto stood as quietly as possible and then jumped up and down yelling, "'Appy birfday, Mommy! 'Appy birfday, Mommy!" A feminine hand reached up and grabbed the over-excited blonde mid jump, pulling him into a tight hugged.

"Thank-you, Naruto-chan," Tsunami whispered into the boys ear, causing him to giggle.

Kaito watched from his side of the room as his Wife hugged their son. "Happy Birthday, 'Nami," he said.

"Thanks," she whispered as she leaned over Naruto and kissed him, a peck on the lips.

"Eww!" Naruto giggled when they parted.

"You won't think that in about ten years, 'Ruto," said Kaito ruffling his hair. "So, what did you get for Mommy?" he asked innocently.

Naruto's smile wavered as he asked, "Waddya mean?"

"Well, it's her birthday, and what do we give to loved ones on their birthday?"

Realization dawned on Naruto's face as he turned to Tsunami. "I'm sowwy, Mommy, I don' gots a birfday pewsent fo' ya," he said with any apologetic look on his face, "but I do love ya, 'onest!" his gaze shifted downward as tears started rolling down his cheeks.

Tsunami glared at her husband from over Naruto's head as he buried his face into her neck. She pushed her adoptive son a way a little and put a hand under his chin, making him look up at her. "It's okay, Naruto-chan, I know that you love me. You didn't have to get me anything. It's okay." Naruto nodded and rubbed the tears away, but he still looked sad. "Naruto-chan, can you smile for me? It could be my birthday present.

The boy nodded and smiled brightly, happy to have found a present that his Mommy wanted. He turned to Kaito and the smile turned mischievous, "So, waddya get for Mommy, Daddy?" he asked.

Kaito was left with his mouth wide open. His own, three year old son turned his own words against him. "Uhhhh," he stalled, "damn back-stabbing blonde brats," he grumbled, and got hit up-side the head for cursing in front of the boy, before saying, "Well I was going to take us out to breakfast and then let her pick something herself."

"Nice save," said Tsunami, who clearly knew that Kaito had forgotten to buy her a present.

Naruto gasped after a second and asked, "Can we get ramen?"

"No!" Tsunami said sternly, the boy loved ramen from the moment he tasted it for the first time. He had said that he was going to eat it for every meal from then on, and would have had Tsunami not scolded him, telling him that if he did he would stay small forever if he did that, and limited his access to it.

Still that didn't stop him from trying. "But Mommy, It's ya birfday, we gatta 'ave ramen ta celabwate, wight Daddy?"

With a sigh Tsunami conceded, Fine, but you will have to wait until lunch."

"But, Momm-" Naruto whined before being cut off.

"No 'buts', young man." She told him.

"Dadd-"

He was cut off again but this time by Kaito, "Listen to your mother, 'Ruto."

"Fine!" he pouted, puffing out his cheeks and crossing his arms across his chest.  
>-<p>

By Eight in the morning, Naruto walked between Tsunami and Kaito, each holding his hand, as they walked down the street. He was wearing a black tee shirt, black overalls, and his favorite pair of black sandals. They were headed to their favorite restaurant to get the breakfast that Kaito had promised.

When they were seated a young waiter came over and handed them the menus and a kid's menu with a box of four crayons. " Good morning KAito-san, Tsunami-san," he greeted with a bow which were returned before he turned to the small boy,"Hello, Naruto-kun!" he greeted the blonde boy, who was already busy trying to solve the puzzle on the back of his menu.

"Hi, Haru-oniichan!" responded Naruto with a smile, "Taday's Mommy's birfday!" He informed the teen. Haru was not only the waiter at their favorite restaurant but he was also Naruto's baby-sitter.

"Well, happy birthday, Tsunami-san. Do you guys know what you're going to order?"

"I wan' pancakes!" the blonde boy yelled out.

"Okay, Naruto-kun," said Haru with a chuckle, "one order of child-sized pancakes"

"We'll have a short-stack each, Haru-san," said Kaito.

"And for drinks?" asked Haru.

"Oh, oh," called Naruto raising his hand as high as he could from his seat, when he had Tsunami's attention he asked, "can I get chocola'e milk, please?"

"Get him that, Haru-san, and two coffees, please," Tsunami told the waiter handing him the two menus.

"Alright, they'll be out in a bit." He told them before going to place their orders.

The small family talked of unimportant thinks until their food arrived. Naruto dug into his pancakes, holding his fork wrong but still managing to eat just fine. He picked up the bacon that made up the smile on the pancakes and took a bite before setting it back. He was just finishing the top pancake and bacon when he saw his mom suddenly get up and walk to the shrugged it of and went back to eating his breakfast.

When his mom returned she looked pale, like she was about to faint, he wasn't the only one to notice but he asked the question first. "Mommy are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Naruto-chan, finish your breakfast," she said weakly.

"You don't sound 'fine', 'Nami, or look it either," said Kaito, placing his hand on her forehead. "Maybe we should go to the doctor's office." He called for the check and left the restaurant, one arm around Tsunami's waist to make sure she wouldn't fall and holding Naruto's hand with his free hand.  
>-<p>

Naruto sat quietly next to Kaito. They had arrived at the doctor's office around nine in the morning, and found the place virtually empty. Tsunami was called in about ten minutes after arriving and since that Naruto had just sat staring at the door she had gone through.

Kaito was starting to worry about him. The blonde was a bundle of endless energy, to see him quiet was rare, only when he was sad or worried did it happen but never for more than 20 minutes.

"Naruto?" he asked nudging the boy on the shoulder, "Why don't you go play?"

The boy turned to look at the low-set table that was there for children like himself to play while they waited and then said, "I don' wanna," before turning back to the door.

Before Kaito could say anything more, the door opened and a nurse ushered them to the Tsunami's room. She was seated on the bed but got up when she saw them come in.

"Mommy!" Naruto called as he ran over and gave the pick-me-up sign. When Tsunami did pick him up he buried his face into her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her neck tightly.

"Are you okay, Naruto-chan? You haven't acted this clingy in almost a year."

Naruto only answer was to mumble into her shoulder and tighten his hold around her neck. "He was really worried about you, 'Nami. He did nothing but stare at the door since you were called in. I don't think he's ever seen you sick." said Kaito.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Naruto-chan, but I feel better now, okay honey?"

Kaito was about to ask what the doctor had said when the door open and a young doctor stepped in smiling brightly. "Tsunami-san, Kaito-san," he greeted.

Tsunami and Kaito sat next to each other on the chairs on one side of the room, with Naruto on Tsunami's lap, and they held hands before turning to the doctor. "What is it, doctor-san?" asked Tsunami.

"I got great news. You're pregnant!" he informed her with a warm smile.

Kaito was shocked. He had always wanted to be a father of two and with Naruto he was half way their. His shock quickly turned into joy and a wide smile spread on his face. He felt a gentle squeeze on his hand and turned to Tsunami. She was also smiling.

"Mommy?" Naruto asked bringing them out of their happy haze, "Wha's pra...pragnant?" he asked, sounding out the last word.

"It's pregnant, 'Ruto. It means Mommy's having a baby," explained Kaito.

"That's right. You're going to be a big brother in about eight months, champ!" the doctor added.

"I am?" asked the little boy awestruck at the idea.

"So how far I'm I along, doctor-san?" asked Tsunami while Naruto fidgeted in her arms, no longer worried as much.

"Well, like I told the boy, he will be a big brother in eight months so you are about one month along, Tsunami-san." He told her.  
>-========================-<p>

When the small family got home it was around eleven in the morning. As soon as they arrived, the two males set of again to go fish for dinner, and secretly to buy her another present aside from the bouquet of flowers that she had chosen as her gift on their way home.

Naruto had been very excited about the prospect of being a big brother. When they arrived at the gift store, Naruto picked out a music box, which they had wrapped and they set out for Kaito's favorite fishing spot.

They returned at a quarter to two and Naruto was quick to ask for his ramen. They gave her the music box after dinner. Tsunami thanked the men of her life with a kiss each, on the cheek for Naruto and on the lips for Kaito.

The time came when Naruto had to go to bed. With one final, "'Appy birfday, Mommy, he climbed up to his room. He changed into his pajamas and climbed into bed. He fell asleep with in seconds and dreamed of all the things he would do with his baby brother or sister.

He dreamed about the things he would teach him about if he was a boy, or would let his best-friend, Akemi, teach her if she was a girl. He dreamed of defending both from bullies, and most importantly of the things that they would do together.

He was going to be a big brother, an aniki. That came with big responsibilities. He was going to be the best aniki he could be!


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Naruto: Wave-nin: The Best Christmas Gift

Tsunami's belly grew as her pregnancy progressed. She wore loose dresses to be more comfortable and not hurt the baby within her. Naruto had been amazed that his little brother or sister was inside of his Mommy's belly, he thought that she had eaten the baby. Kaito explained that a baby has to grow inside of the mom's body because he was too small to be outside. "When he wants to come out he will tell us," he told him.

Tazuna had been extremely happy about his daughter's pregnancy. He had immediately set out to inform the entire village about it and then returned later and headed to the spare room to inspect it and fix it up for the new baby. He also retouched Naruto's old baby things that he no longer needed. He fixed every thing up and had those ready months before the baby was due, the only thing he had to make again was a new crib, having turned Naruto's into a 'big boy bed'.

Kaito had busied himself with his work, determined to expand his business before the baby arrived. He pumped all extra money into the already growing bank account that he had started when Naruto was adopted. Preparing incase any emergency should occur, not to mention the bill from the hospital for the delivery, 'or should we get a mid-wife?' he pondered as he exited the local bank.

Tsunami was adamant about continuing her housework, even after Kaito had offered to do it. She had a small blonde helper thought so it wasn't very hard work. On her free time she would knit small hat, booties, and sweaters, not knowing the gender of the baby she went for unisex colors, greens, yellows, red, blacks, and whites.

Naruto had been busy helping Tsunami in anyway he could. He ran around the house picking up stray clothing and objects. He handed her things from the lower cabinets while she cooked and took out the trash when he saw that the trash can in the kitchen was full. As a reward for his hard work he liked to rub Tsunami's small round belly.

He had started pre-school in august along with his best-friend Akemi. He had met Akemi shortly before turning three, while him and his mom where at a small park at the center of town. He had seen her asking a group of boys if she could play with them but got turned away for being a girl. Naruto didn't think that that was far so he chose to play with her instead. Since that they had being best-friends, never playing with a group f the other wasn't allowed to join.

The classes were just drawing pictures, singing songs, and playing game with everyone in class. As fun as it was, it was inside and he preferred open space to run around in. He longed for them to end so he could play out in the playground with Akemi and his other friends until his dad picked him up and took him home. He did learn, however, during the play time in class. He learned how to properly pronounce most words and got the pesky 'r' down, but he somehow still dropped the 'h' from most of his words. His vocabulary increased and improved, yet he still liked to shorten some phrases into single words such as, waddya and the sort.

Time at school passed quickly and soon fall struck the small island of Nami no Kuni. The leafs of the trees around Naruto's house turned into bright shades of reds, yellows and oranges, which he would pick up and play with as they were the color of awesomeness according to him. Halloween came and passed, fallowed by Thanksgiving. Then it was December before he knew it and the pre-school let off for the entire month, they had called it winter break or something.

By the second week, the decorations for Christmas came out, bighting the night sky in brilliant colors. There was no snow. Nami- no Kuni was an island and the ocean kept the temperature above freezing level. Still it was cold and Naruto found himself and his, now very big, mom seated close to fire covered by blankets while she held him close to help keep him warm. "And it's not even winter yet," he had heard Tazuna complain more than once.

December 18 (Age 4 yrs 2 months)

Naruto found himself fallowing Kaito and Tazuna as they searched the forest for something. They had told him that they were looking for firewood, but he knew that there was a small mountain behind the house so that wasn't it. Yet they each carried an ax with them.

They crossed into an area of the forest that contained more than a few pine trees. He wasn't really paying attention though as he was too busy thinking of the baby, that according to the doctor was due in the next two or three weeks. He was glad of course and knew that the baby would be born into a loving family. But he couldn't help but worry.

He had known that he was adopted for almost a year now. He had turned three about three months after he turned three. He had seen other families at the park and had noticed that the kids looked like their parents.

When he got home he went into the bathroom and studied his reflection in the mirror, comparing it to the looks of his parents. Tsunami had found him, kneeled on the sink, one hand holding onto the side while the other touched his face. "Naruto-chan, are you okay?" she had asked then.

He remembered asking her why he didn't look like her or daddy, telling her that he saw that other families looked the same, that he had yellow hair while she had black and daddy had brown, that his eyes where blue and theirs were black. Asking if he was really her son, if she was really his mommy, If daddy was really his daddy.

She had picked him up by that point and had carried him to her room. She had sat on the bed, with him on her lap and her hand creased his hair. She had looked into his eyes and realized that she could not lie to him.

Her voice was sad as she said, "You are my son, Naruto-chan, and I love you. I am not the one that gave birth to you; I am not your Mommy." She heard a sharp intake of breath and saw as her son's lower lip quivered and his eyes filled with tears, "But I love you as if I was your Mommy. And Kaito loves you, and my dad loves you, Naruto-chan! That's why we adopted you! Because we loved you like a son the moment he looked into your eyes."

Naruto believed her, but the tears still came. "So you Not my Mommy?" he asked through the sobs that ravaged his throat.

"Naruto-chan," said Tsunami sternly through her own tears. She had know that the Day would come when she and Kaito would have to tell Naruto the truth, but she couldn't help but wonder if it was to early. "I consider you my son and I you're Mommy. Maybe not by blood, but through the love that I have for you, I am your Mommy! I know your Daddy feels the same!"

Naruto hugged her then, relived. They cried together for hours, but when the tears finally ceased he asked about his real parents, not noticing the wince from Tsunami when he said 'real', but she had no answer for him other than that they had died the day he was born and that Jiji had found him n the arms of his dead mother and had brought him to them. That was all he needed then.

Now, thought, Naruto was worried. He was worried that when his Mommy and Daddy had their own baby, be it boy or girl, they wouldn't want him anymore. They wouldn't love him anymore. That they would ask him to leave, that he would be alone and unwanted.

"'Ruto? What do you think of this one?"

Naruto was brought out of his thoughts by his daddy's voice. "Wha?"

"I asked what you think of this tree," Kaito told him.

"Oh… for wha, daddy?" asked the four year old with a confused expression.

"We just told you, Naruto-kun," said Tazuna "Weren't you paying any attention?"

Naruto looked a bit sheepish and started fidgeting slightly, "No, not really."

"Alright Naruto, what do you think that about this tree for our Christmas tree? Remember you asked to come with us last year and I promised that we would bring you along this year?" Kaito told him.

Naruto did remember that but he had been so preoccupied with thinking and worrying about the upcoming baby that it had completely slipped his mind. He examined the tree carefully, his head cocked to the side as his eyes scanned the tree, all dark thought about his future forgotten. "I think it's to small, daddy," he said with a bright smile after a moment.

"That's what I said," agreed Tazuna with a nod.

"Well then, how about this one?" asked Kaito as he walked over to another, slightly taller pine tree.

"I think that's about right," said Tazuna, "What do you think Naruto-kun?"  
>"I think it's perfa…par… great!" said the small boy trying and failing to pronounce perfect.<p>

The two men started to cut away at the bottom of the trunk, while Naruto watched from a safe distance. He quickly got bored and decided to explore a bit. He walked no more then 5 meters before he came to the edge of the forest and found large gates and wall that seemed to be losing the battle with Nature. The gate was covered in vines while the wall had roots coming out of and going into it.

"Naruto!" he heard Kaito shout for him so he ran back, only to find that the tree was now on the floor and its braches bound tightly. "Where did you go, Naruto? You know you're not supposed to wonder off alone." Kaito scolded him.

"I'm sorry, daddy, but I got bored so I went to look around. I didn't go far, 'onest."

"It's fine, I guess, just don't do it again," Kaito told him before he walked over to his son and pulled him into a hug, "I was really worried."

After a few more seconds Kaito released the boy and they started walking home. A good ten minutes later, Naruto finally remembered the ruins that he had come across while wondering alone for a few minutes.

"Jiji? You're old right?" asked the boy as he walked behind the adults pulling the tree towards home.

Kaito chuckled as Tazuna answered, "I am," with a smile.

"Do you know what the big gate and wall back there are?"

"You must have chanced upon Uzushiogakure no Sato. It was the Ninja village of Nami no Kuni. It was destroyed during the Second Great ninja War. The survivors of the village moved to other countries or simply formed other villages on the Island. The country's name was changed from Uzu no Kuni to Nami no Kuni," Tazuna explained going into a brief history of the country.

"Do people still live there?" asked the blonde after a minute of digesting what his Jiji told him.

"No," Tazuna said simply, Kaito thought that he heard a small tone of sadness, "The damage was too great. There was simply no money to rebuild. Besides all the ninja were either dead or had scattered across the world."

The rest of the trip was quite and when they got home, they set up the tree. Tsunami supervised from her spot next to the fire as the males set up the Christmas tree. She then supervised Kaito as he prepared dinner, simple rice and fish as was not the best of cooks. Her position as supervisor was mainly due to her being on her last month of her pregnancy.

As she made her way to the dinner table, Naruto heard a splash of water. He looked up and saw that there was a small puddle of water under his mom. Next thing he knew Kaito was up and leading his mother up to their room and Tazuna headed out the door with speed that the little boy had never seen from the old man.

Naruto fallowed his parents to the room and saw his mother sitting peacefully on the bed, with the occasional painful expression on her face every fifteen or twenty minutes. Naruto remained in the room for about one hour, leaving the room at around ten when the Village midwife arrived and asked the men, and the small blonde boy, to leave the room.

Once outside Kaito took to pacing the room, an anxious expression on his face, and Naruto took a seat on the floor directly opposite the door. He fidgeted, not really sure what was going on. "Daddy, is Mommy okay?"

Kaito stopped pacing and looked at Naruto, a small smile taking the place of the anxiety. She's fine, 'Ruto." He assured, "The baby just wants to come out now."

After that Naruto started fidgeting worsened, the baby was about out of his Mommy's belly. He was going to be older brother soon!

December 25

Naruto awoke to a state of mild confusion. He didn't remember changing into his pajamas the day before, much less going to bed. He supposed that his Mommy or daddy had changed him and brought him to his bed. He sung his feet over the edge of the low-set bed and made his way to the bathroom.

His business concluded, and taking care not to miss, Naruto made his way to the kitchen. He found it to be empty, and the living room as well, so he figured that his parents were still sleeping. The blonde climbed the stairs to their room and with a hop opened the door.

Kaito, seated on the edge of the bed facing the door, looked up from a small bundle in his arms, he had the happiest smile that Naruto had ever seen. Naruto looked more carefully at the bundle and saw a small tuff of black hair. That was the new baby, his little brother!

He was happy, happier then ever just like his daddy, yet Naruto insecurities returned as he looked back at the happy expression on the face of his Daddy. He had his own son now, why would he want Naruto.

The battle that took place over Naruto's face as it struggled with the conflicting emotions was not missed by Kaito or Tsunami, who was watching her husband from her position on the bed. They knew what Naruto was thinking and felt slightly ashamed of themselves. Maybe they had neglected Naruto a little as the Pregnancy progressed, what else could make the small energetic blonde that they both loved as their own son think that they wouldn't want him after they had the baby?

Neither wanted to voice the knowledge, however, not wanting to embarrass him or, worse, to give him the wrong impression by voicing his concern. "Naruto-chan come over here and meet your little brother," Tsunami said as she took the baby from her husband.

Naruto walked over, not once meeting her eyes. He stopped at the edge of the bed but Tsunami patted the spot next to her, signaling him to sit next to her. "His name is Inari, Naruto-chan. Make sure to be the best big brother you can be!" she told him as he studied the face of the baby.

Inari's eyes were opened, exploring the face of the woman that held him. A flash of bright yellow caught his eye and he turned to find the face of a young boy with three whisker birthmarks on each cheek. Everything about the boy was bright, his blue eyes, his yellow hair, his orange pajamas. He felt warmed coming from the boy, the same warmed that he felt from the man and women. He also felt sadness and resentment, though it was slightly less then the happiness and love that he felt.

Naruto stared at Inari, slightly surprised that he was so small, as Kaito said, "Looks like he likes you, 'Ruto!"

"We love you, Naruto-chan," Tsunami said, hoping that that would be enough to reassures the boy. It was as Naruto notably relaxed and smiled for the first time since he saw Inari.

Inari felt the resentment and insecurity ease away from the boy with yellow hair and smile up at him, earning a smile in response.

"Daddy, I thought you said that he was in Mommy's belly so that he could get bigger, but his still really small!" Naruto spoke for the first time.

Kaito chuckled at the raised eyebrow from Tsunami, who had no idea that that was the explanation Kaito gave Naruto when he said that he would 'take care of it'. "Well 'Ruto, he did get bigger. He was a lot smaller before." Kaito said. Everyone, including a sleeping Tazuna was so excited with the new baby that they completely forgot about Christmas, but a week later they would all agree that they got the best, and noisiest, Christmas gift possible, even Naruto who absolutely loved the new toys he got.

A/N: So there you go. Inari is now and hour old… =) Sorry for the longish wait. I had state testing… Hope you like! It was going to be longer but I cut half of the chapter, I rather end it here with a happy ending and out it up now not later.

Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

March 17 (Age 12)

Kakashi Hatake was a serious man. Sure maybe people couldn't tell due to his always been late, lazy attitude and reading… exotic literature in public. The truth was that Kakashi was always on alert, as any good ninja should be. He was on the look out for any dangers that he may come across, especially now that he had three young students with him.

The Third Hokage had asked him to take on a team over the last few graduating classes. Those teams had always failed on account of not being up to his expectations. Sure most of the kids that were unlucky to be assigned to him were talented individuals, but they could not work as a team.

Teamwork was crucial, in his eyes, and if they couldn't work together then they were not ready to be ninjas.

This year, however, he was assigned Uchiha Sasuke, the last Uchiha. Being the only person in Konohagakure to have the sharingan, the blood limit of the Uchiha clan, meant that Kakashi would be the only one able to teach Sasuke how to use it once his awakened. Kakashi had also felt that by taking the boy as his student he could repay a debt to his, now dead, best friend Uchiha Obito.

It was sad, really, how he hadn't realized that Obito was his best friend until he had died saving Kakashi's life.

Sasuke was talented, but like many before him, failed to see past Kakashi's test. He had chosen to give him and his team another chance, and they passed. He was proud of the boy!

Now he just needed to push the boy away from the path of revenge and onto the path of a great shinobi. He was a Ninjutsu type ninja and already knew plenty of Katon jutsu. His Taijutsu was at least low Chuunin already and could only be improved on.

The rest of Team 7 was also intriguing to Kakashi. The girl, one Sakura Haruno, was obsessed with the Uchiha. She was smart however and loved to learn, she just needed to focus on other thing and not Sasuke. She had great chakra control, but was a bit low on reserves, and would make a great medic or Genjutsu user.

Under his tutelage Sakura quickly advanced in those areas, and had done her own research about them. She was capable of performing low level Genjutsu and had mastered some of the advanced Chakra control exercise. Kakashi was certain that she was trying to impress Sasuke.

The other boy, Hibachi… something, was from a civilian family,only his father had been a ninja. He was the dobe, the deadlast, in the academy, and the only thing that he had going for him, aside from the Basic Three was a few Doton jutsu. The boy had little talent, which was what intrigued Kakashi. How had the boy managed to pass his Academy graduation test? He had no real Taijutsu or Genjutsu skills, and his stealth and trap setting were pitiful. The boy might as well have been wearing a bright orange jumpsuit!

Kakashi had spoken to the Hokage, in hopes to remove the boy and put him in the reserves list. Have the boy train for a few more years before sending him out to the field. The Hokage had told him that if anybody could teach the boy how to survive, it would be him and that the boy had passed both the graduation test and Kakashi's own test. He at least deserved a chance.

Kakashi was really trying. He would teach his students a new jutsu at least once a week. Sakura and Sasuke both learned them quickly and aster them shortly after he showed it to them.

Hibachi, however, didn't seem to be interested in the new jutsu. He would do them, barely, and never bothered to master them, always mumbling about how useless they were. Kakashi had expected that from Sasuke, who was the Rookie of the year, but not from the dobe who would need everything he could get to survive.

Hibachi aside, Kakashi was happy with the progress of the other two. They were competent and would soon be able to handle a higher level mission. He never got the chance to ask for one because hibachi took it upon himself, demanding a mission that did not involve gardening or chasing cats.

And so it was that Kakashi ended up in this supposedly simple escort C-ranked mission to Nami no Kuni. And it was, until a pair of Kiri nuke-nin known as the Demon Brothers. He was proud of how Sasuke, Sakura and even Hibachi, had handled the situation. Sakura's use of Genjutsu to disorient the brothers while the boys took them was brilliant; the girl was apparently also a great tactician.

The brothers were clearly after Tazuna, the client, so he had obviously not been completely honest about the mission parameter. When confronted about it Tazuna had gone into an explanation about the bad shape that his country was in and how their only hope was the bridge that he was building, and how his daughter and two grandsons would miss him horribly if he died.

Kakashi was not completely heartless and had made up his mind to help Tazuna well before asking his students how they felt about the situation. Hibachi and Sakura had looked scared at the possibility of facing ninja that were stronger then the demon brothers. Ay least until Sasuke had proclaimed that he would not fail his first real mission by quitting when things got hard. Sakura had, of course, agreed with her crush, leaving Hibachi with no choice then to follow his teams lead.

The demon brothers' attack had happened days ago and now Team 7 and Tazuna were only miles away from the bridge builder's house. Kakashi was proud to see his team had taken his warnings seriously and were quite attentive since that attack.

A small part of Kakashi's thoughts drift to another child that should have been the same age as his team had he survived the horrid night he was born, the night that the Kyuubi attacked, but quickly shook the thoughts out of his head. It was not good to think of all that he had lost on that night. The only reason he had not gone into a depression and fallowed in his father's footsteps was Rin. Rin was the closest thing that Kakashi had to family theses days.

Kakashi berated himself for allowing his attention, even if it was only a small portion, to wander when he should bee focusing on his surroundings. Not a minute after, Hibachi threw a Kunai at a bush freighting a white rabbit.

'Wait, a white rabbit?' he thought as he extended his senses farther, seeking out anything suspicious. His one visible eye widened when he felt a Jounin level chakra signature directly in front of them in the trees.

He was about to attack first, not wanting to put his Genins in danger against a enemy Jounin, he heard the whirl of a blade spinning through the air. "Get down!" Kakashi shouted as he talked Tazuna to the ground. He saw Sakura drop to the ground, followed by Sasuke who had dragged Hibachi along, barely avoiding the zanbatou that cleaved into a tree.

Kakashi stood quickly, and turned towards the blade that now had a tall shirt-less man standing on its handle. He could still feel the other signature but it was as if it was frozen in place. It they were working together, the other Jounin seemed content with letting the guy with the sword deal with them.

"Sharingan no Kakashi," the man on the blade called out in a deep voice, "No wonder Gozu and Meizu failed to take out the old man." Kakashi recognized the sword, it was the Kubikiri Bouchou.

"Zabuza Momochi, Demon of the Mist," Kakashi said as he pushed his Hitai-ate up to his forehead, revealing his Sharingan. "To tell you the truth my students took the Demon Brothers down, I wasn't really involved," Kakashi admitted.

"No matter," Zabuza said with straight face, "Just give me the old man and I'll let you and your brats go."

Kakashi felt the killer intent flare from the other signature for a moment before it disappeared. Kakashi wasn't sure who it was but he was most likely not with Zabuza. Whoever it was didn't know how to suppress his chakra at all. But then again maybe they were just trying to be a distraction for Kakashi.

"Get in to a defensive circle around Tazuna," he told his team, "I'll fight Zabuza." The Genin did as they were told, each drawing a kunai.

Zabuza kicked away from the tree, taking his blade with him, and landed in the near by lake. "Kirigakure no Jutsu!" Zabuza said as he held one hand in front of him and the other over his head, pointing up. Mist covered everything from view before a heavy killer intent blanked the area.

xXx

Naruto had frozen in place after he saw the giant sword fly towards Tazuna. He had been relieved that the sliver- haired man managed to save his Jiji. He watched as the man that threw the sword land on its handle and ask the other man, whit he had called Kakashi to hand over Tazuna.

Rage built within him, but it was not as strong as when Kaiza had died. He quickly suppressed it. Kakashi had not agreed yet and had apparently already defended Tazuna against other Ninja. Kakashi had set his team around Tazuna, a basic defensive form that he had read about.

He saw as Zabuza moved to the lake, fallowing his movements easily. When the mist rolled over the lake and the small group protecting Tazuna, he thought about moving in and getting Tazuna out of there, but stopped when an unbearable felling of imminent death overwhelmed him.

He had never felt anything like it, and he could tell that it was much worse for the ninja team because it was aimed at them. He took deep breaths, trying to even out his breathing and suppress the feeling. IT didn't work. Not at first. But he heard Kakashi's voice. He was reassuring his students, and somehow it reassured him as well.

Zabuza was only a man. He was a ninja, yes but so was Naruto. Even if Naruto had never been in a real ninja battle before, he still trained himself to fight against them. He needed to calm down and help Tazuna.

He had no idea what was going on in the mist. He screams coming from inside and moments later Kakashi came flying out of the mist and into the lake. When Kakashi resurfaced, the water around him sprung up around him as Zabuza appeared behind him.

"Suirou no Jutsu!" Zabuza called out and place his hand against the sphere of water that formed around Kakashi.

"Damn! I had to get careless, no the other Jounin is free to attack Tazuna and my team!" Once Naruto heard that he started moving towards the team as fast as he could, he had to help protect Tazuna. "Get out of here," he heard Kakashi shout at his team, "The other Ninja is moving towards you Fast, take Tazuna and Run!" hearing this only made Naruto increase his speed.

"We won't leave you behind, Sensei!" the pink haired girl said with determination. With that she threw her Kunai into the trees where they could hear Naruto coming from.

The kunai knife missed by an inch as Naruto jumped down onto the road, the blade passing harmlessly over his head. He quickly pulled out a Kunai, which he had found in the Uzumaki vault, and dropped into a battle position facing the direction he was sure the enemy was coming from, behind the team that was focused on him.

"Naruto?" asked a bewildered Tazuna, bring Naruto's attention to the team in front of him.

"What are you looking at me for?" he asked in an urgent tone, "Shouldn't you be looking for the enemy ninja?"

"What?" Kakashi asked mostly to himself, "It was just a kid?"

"I thought that he was with you, Kakashi," admitted Zabuza, "which was why I was trying to take you out fast, so I wouldn't have to deal with two Jounin. But it turns out it's just some kid in overalls"

Naruto turned towards the lake, 'So Kakashi thought that I was the enemy Jounin. I knew I had a lot of Chakra but I never guessed it was so high.' Naruto turned back towards Tazuna and said, "Come on, lets get out of here, Jiji!" as he took a step towards him.

Hibachi and the other kid stepped in front of Tazuna, their grips on their kunai tighten. "How do we know that you aren't henged?" asked the dark-haired boy.

"Besides," added Hibachi, "we wouldn't leave with you even if you weren't henged. We are not leaving Sensei behind!"

Naruto stared at the kids for a while but then heard a chuckle coming form the edge of the lake. Turning around, he found three clones of Zabuza, all holding the same blade as the original. Naruto shifted the Kunai in his hand and with a flick of his wrist sent it flying towards the clone in the middle.

Two more Kunai joined his, heading for the other clones, but all three were blocked with the covering him from the view of clones. Naruto moved forward quickly, forming the hand seal that allowed him to release the weight seals. With the seals of Naruto's speed increased significantly, becoming a blur to the Genin watching.

Soon he was in front of the first clone, driving his fist into its stomach before it even noticed he was there. The other clones moved quickly, bringing their blades in a downward arc, before the first clone even burst into water. Both the swords and the water hit the ground where Naruto stood seconds before, but now he was on the lake running towards the original Zabuza, but not before throwing a couple of shuriken at the clone's backs.

Naruto brought his hand in front of him and formed a cross using his index and middle fingers, four copies of Naruto appeared around him, all held a kunai ready to drive into Zabuza.

Zabuza stared down the incoming kid, turned kids, with a smirk, "Only one of those is real, kid!" he called, "you are going to have to do better then that!" His smirk disappeared as the kids got closer and he noticed the ripples coming from all of the clone's feet. Not wanting to take any chances, he got ready to block the first boy's attack.

He blocked the first thrust easily and kicked the boy away, thinking that he had found the real one, but was surprised when Naruto disappeared in a poof of smoke and a popping sound. The next two clones attacked as a pair, but their moves where a bit sloppy, leaving openings for Zabuza to slip in a quick punch each, only for the same thing that happened to the first to happen again.

With one hand holding onto the prison, Zabuza was starting to worry. The clones were Kage Bunshin, and he didn't know the kids limit. Luckily there was only two left and one had to be real. As the clones attacked, Zabuza lashed out with his sword, cutting the boys in half. Only for them to disappear in a poof of smoke, "What?" snarled Zabuza, "Where's the real one then?"

"Right Here!" he heard from behind him.

"Don't tell me you fail for that?" this time from directly above him.

"I mean, you are supposed to be…" from below, in the water.

"A Jounin!" this one from in front of him, and he was forced to release his hold on the water prison, only to barely avoid four kunai coming from four different directions. The clones holding the kunai quickly turned toward where Zabuza was now standing and launched the weapons, but they were all blocked with wide sword that the mist missing-nin carried.

By the time Zabuza removed the sword from in front of himself, the clones were gone, leaving only one kid in black overalls and an orange t-shirt. Next to him stood Kakashi, thanking the boy, "So he was with you, Kakashi," Zabuza said as he got into a ready position.

"No Zabuza." Kakashi told the swordsman calmly, "this is Tazuna's Grandson, apparently. Now let's end this! Naruto go to your grandfather."

"I'm sorry Kakashi-san, but you showed that you may need back-up. " Naruto said calmly, "I think I will stay close, just in case." With that Naruto moved back a few meters, but remained on the surface of the lake.

'All that and he's not even winded?' Kakashi thought as he watched the boy move back. When Kakashi turned to Zabuza he saw that the Kiri-nin was almost done with a set of hand seals. Knowing that he would have no time to prepare a counter he moved to grab Naruto and Jump out of the way.

He was to slow, however and heard Zabuza call out "Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu!" A column of water rose from the surface of the lake, as it raised higher the front became the head of a dragon. The water dragon snaked around Zabuza before lashing out with surprising speed at Kakashi, and Naruto who stood a few feet behind him.

When the dragon was only a few meters away, a slightly bigger Water Dragon slammed into it, pushing it back. The bigger dragon then snaked above Zabuza's and bit down on its neck. The smaller dragon fell apart as the bigger moved back behind Kakashi. When Kakashi turned around he saw the dragon snake around Naruto, just as the other one had done to Zabuza, the small blonde still holding the last seal of the jutsu.  
>xXx<p>

Sasuke the best of the best in his age group, he had graduated as Rookie of the year from academy. He was an Uchiha; the blood of the elite ran through his veins. He had proven his worth against the Demon Brothers. He also understood that he stood no chance against Zabuza as he was.

Zabuza was a Jounin and no Genin stood a chance against that particular Jounin, especially a rookie, not even the rookie of the year. So he was just fine to leave him to Kakashi, who may or may not be an Uchiha.

But when Kakashi had been captured he was nerves. How were he and his teammates going to get him out and leaving him was not an option. Kakashi, Uchiha or not, was the only person in Konoha that could possibly teach him how to use his Sharingan when it awakened. Plus he would not be able to live with himself if he ran away and left a comrade behind.

When Kakashi had started yelling about another unknown Jounin in the area, Sasuke had actually had a small panic attack, though he managed to get it under control before anyone noticed. Luckily it had just been a Tazuna's grandson, a blonde boy that was shorter then everyone on Sasuke's team wearing black overalls and orange t-shirt.

After a few words, where team seven pretty much told the boy, Naruto, that they would not leave with out their sensei, Naruto turned to face the water clones that appeared at the edge of the lake and disappeared, becoming a blur, with nothing more then an intense flare of chakra. He appeared again seconds later, his fist buried deep into a clone's gut, but disappeared again before the clone turned back into water. The other two burst seconds later, two kunai embedded into the wet ground were they once stood.

The blur moved fast over the water, and then split into five, and then he appeared, flying backwards away from Zabuza as if hit and burst into smoke. After hat two more, flying in different directions and then another pair, Zabuza had by then started looking around searching for the real Naruto, and got four from different directions.

The missing-nin had been forced to release Kakashi, but when neither Naruto nor Kakashi were looking, he had started a long set of Hand seals, and when he was done a water dragon appeared and charged the two ninja. Only to be stopped by a bigger one that came from Naruto.

Sasuke had no idea how the kid was so strong! He came from the ninja village and ninja clan. The kid was a no name and he was stronger! It wasn't fair!

But as long as the kid was on their side, Sasuke wouldn't do anything to jeopardize the mission. Who knows he might be able to convince the kid to help him with out to much pleading, hopefully none at all.

As the battle continued, now both Naruto and Kakashi fighting Zabuza as a team, hardly any words needed to be exchanged, as if both had been working together for ever, Sasuke found that he was becoming more and more jealous of the short blonde boy.  
>xXx<p>

Naruto and Kakashi moved around the Mist ninja as he tried to pin them down. Naruto dodged a wide swing from the sword, getting inside of Zabuza's defenses and trying to punch the man in the stomach. Naruto's fist was caught, proving that Zabuza was much faster then his water clones, and punched away form the fight. Realizing that he would have to resort to ninjutsu to even hope of hit Zabuza, Naruto moved forward to close the distance a bit while Kakashi fought Zabuza.

As Naruto moved away, he preformed three quick hand seals, and yelled "Suiton: Mizurappa!" and a torrent of water shot from his mouth, heading straight towards Zabuza. Kakashi heard Naruto call out the jutsu and jumped away while Zabuza got hit straight on the chest.

Zabuza managed to stay on his feet, but was slightly disoriented and was barely able to block Kakashi's kunai strike, but got his balance under control for the fallowing strikes. Zabuza made hand seals, and used Kirigakure no Jutsu once again to surround the three ninja. He drew his sword and stalked towards his opponents as quietly as possible, not even bothering to taunt them.

"Fūton: Daitoppa!" Zabuza heard the boy call out and all the mist was blown away. Then both Kakashi and the boy attacked at the same time, not giving Zabuza a chance to sue his sword with out leaving himself open to an attack from one of them.

Eventually Zabuza got some distance and started a stream of hand seals, Kakashi making the same seals at the exact same time, actually psyching out his tall black haired opponent.

Before Zabuza could release the attack after finishing the hand seals, he heard a cry of "Suiton: Suiben!" and a thin whip made out of water wrapped around his arms, binding them tightly to his chest and distracting him long enough for Kakashi to release the Jutsu first.

"Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu!" Kakashi yelled. Water around Kakashi rose dozens of meters into the air, then came crushing down on top of Zabuza, tossing the missing-nin around like a rag doll and slamming him into a tree.

Naruto moved in along with Kakashi, who held a kunai ready to cut down the nuke-nin. Before they reached Zabuza, however, two senbon pierced his neck, Killing Zabuza instantly. A young boy with a bun and a white Hunter mask with the symbol of Kiri on the forehead, and wearing a green and blue battle Kimono, stood on a branch across from the dead ninja, hand still outstretched from his throw.

"Thank you, Kakashi-san, for the help," the Hunter-nin said in a clam tone of voice, "I've been following this one for a long time now."

Sasuke and the rest of Kakashi's team joined Naruto and Kakashi, and he spoke up before Kakashi could respond, "Who the hell are you?" Sasuke almost spat, "Answer me!" Sasuke could handle one person his age being stronger then him, barely, but not two.

"Easy Sasuke," Kakashi said, "He's not our enemy. You have to learn that there will always be someone stronger then you out there, stronger then me, even if they are younger then you." He explained as he put his hand on the boy's head. He knew that Sasuke's pride had taken a huge blow from watching his and Naruto's fight against Zabuza, and was made worse by the appearance of another boy their age showing up and killing Zabuza in one move.

The Hunter ninja jumped down and picked up Zabuza, "Thanks again," he said before making a hand sign and disappearing in a swirl of wind and leafs.

Kakashi looked around at the Genin and Tazuna and Naruto. Sakura and Hibachi still looked scared, but were feeling better now that Zabuza was gone. Sasuke still looked a bit bitter about the whole Naruto and the Hunter thing, but seemed to be getting over it.

Naruto looked a little beat up, bruises on his face and a few cut on his clothes from the close calls during the fight. He didn't look very tired though, even though he had fired of multiple C-ranked Jutsu and a B-rank. The kid must have had a lot of Chakra.

Tazuna, however, didn't really seem scared for his life. He seemed more scared for his grandson, which was evident when he grabbed the short blonde in a thigh hug. "You are in so much trouble, Naruto-kun!"  
>xXx<p>

A/N: Sorry about it being almost a few weeks since my last update. I had to do a project that was assigned 2 weeks ago, and I had to work on that, and study for my finals which start tomorrow… but then I am done with junior year!

Anyways that was my first fight scene, I hope you like it; please tell me how I did.

Yes Rin is alive in the fanfic, meaning that Kakashi isn't completely depressed and actually trained himself and his team more effectively, meaning that Sasuke, Sakura and Hibachi, are stronger then in canon (well at least the first two because I never saw hibachi fight in canon or even be a Genin which means he either failed to graduate or he failed the Genin test…)


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

March 17 (Age 12)

Kakashi was actually glad that Naruto had helped him out against Zabuza. If he had had to fight him on his own he would have been forced to use a lot more chakra, not to the point of exhaustion, his training with Rin had increased his Chakra a lot more then training alone would've. Still he would have been worrying about his team a lot more and the fight would have lasted longer, meaning that he would have been too tired to help out if they had been attacked again while they traveled the last few miles between the lake and Tazuna's house. And he was able to actually walk on his own.

The boy was strong, maybe low- Chuunin level from what Kakashi saw, but his ninja equipment was old and he wore civilian clothing. And since Tazuna had gone through a lot of trouble to hire ninja, his family didn't know that Naruto trained as a ninja. He needed to ask the boy a lot of questions, like who trained him, for it was entirely possible that there was another Nuke-nin in Nami no Kuni, one that could be just as dangerous as Zabuza.

He also needed to ask the boy about his chakra reserves, and if his healing factor, ask if it was a Kekkei Genkai or something else, because even as the walked to Tazuna's house Kakashi could see the boy's bruises and few cuts heal and disappear completely.

The boy reminded him of Minato Namikaze, Yondaime Hokage and his Jounin sensei when he was a Genin all the way up to Jounin. Naruto looked like a shorter version of the Minato with whisker marks. he even acted like Minato use to in fights. His eyes would harden and change from clam blue to a sharp icy steel blue, just like Minato's used to.

As Kakashi saw the boy interact with the Genin of his team and his grandfather, Kakashi realized that the boy acted just like Kushina Uzumaki, Minato's wife, did before her death, he was happy, a grin always present, well at least when he wasn't pleading with Tazuna not to tell his Kaa-chan about the fight with Zabuza and the part he played, and he had more energy then he knew what to do with. Looking closer Kakashi realized that his face also held some resemblance to the red-haired woman.

Maybe Kakashi could teach the boy a few things while he was in town, to make sure that what was currently happening to Nami wouldn't happen again. Besides he needed proof.

Naruto suddenly let out a gasp and ran ahead of the group and disappeared into the woods. "What's with him?" asked Hibachi, "Why did he just run off like that?"

Tazuna sighed, "It probably has something to do with Inari. That or he wants to arrive before we do so Tsunami doesn't suspect anything about the fight."

Sakura, who walked next to Tazuna, asked, "Who's Inari, Tazuna-san?" She wondered who could make the strong boy that had gone toe-to-toe with Zabuza ran off like that.

"Inari is Naruto's little brother," Tazuna explained as he took off his hat and whipped the sweat form his brow, "He hasn't been the same since his father died."

"How did his father die," Hibachi asked.

"I'll tell you later," Tazuna said as they exited the woods and entered a small clearing next to the ocean. There was a small port in front of a relatively big house, "Welcome to my house!" Tazuna said as he led them to the front door.

As team seven headed inside, they were greeted by a young woman wearing a white shirt with a red collar and hems. She had long hair and pale skin. "Welcome to our home Shinobi-san. She said addressing the entire group of Shinobi, "and thank you for protecting my father," she added with a bow.

"Hello, Ma'am," said Sakura with a bow of her own, "I'm Haruno Sakura, This is Uchiha Sasuke and Hattori Hibachi," She said as each boy nodded when their names were said.

So that's what your family name is!" said Kakashi happily, "I knew it started with an 'h', ha!"

"You forgot my name, Sensei?" hissed Hibachi, "what kinda sensei are you?" he finished a pout.

"That's Hatake Kakashi, our sensei, although if it wasn't for Rin- sensei he probably wouldn't thought use anything yet." She added the last part in a stage whisper.

"Right," said Tsunami, "I make some tea, while my son shows you to your rooms. Naruto-chan come down here please," she called loudly, causing hibachi to snicker when she said 'Naruto-chan', earning himself a punch from Sakura.

"Don't laugh, Baka!" Sakura chided him, "He could probably rip you apart with both hands tied behind his back!"

"It's nice to know you have so much confidence in me Sakura!" Hibachi said crossing his arms over chest.

Sakura was about to say something but was interrupted by Naruto coming into the room wearing the same clothes minus the tears and bloodstains. "Yeah, Kaa-chan?" he asked Tsunami.

"Show are guest to the guest rooms, And make sure that the Sasuke and Hibachi get Inari's and Sakura-chan and Kakashi-san get their own," she instructed.

Naruto nodded and asked Team 7 to follow him upstairs, he showed the two boys to Inari's rooms and then Sakura and Kakashi to the two rooms farther down the hall. Kakashi entered the room and took of his back pack and placed it in the corner. As he headed back down the hall towards the stairs, he heard muffled voices coming from the across the hall from the room the boys would be sharing.

As he stepped closer to the door he heard a young voice say, "I was scared Nii-chan! You burst into smoke and then I couldn't find you!"

"I'm sorry, Otouto," he heard Naruto say. There was a pause then a heavy sigh, "I might as well just tell you since I'm going to have to tell Kaa-chan anyways. The truth is that I'm a ninja. The me that was with you was a Kage Bunshin. It must have run out of Chakra and popped."

You're mean Nii-chan. The younger boy, Inari, accused, "if it was just a parank you don't have to make up stories."

The last thing Kakashi heard as he walked away was Naruto saying, "I not making up storied! I am…" Kakashi arrived at the kitchen to find all of team seven sitting at the table with tea mug in hand. A mug was shoved into his hands by Tsunami as she passed him by to sit next to her dad.

"So did anything happen on the way back?" she asked the group as Kakashi sat down.

"Nothing really except for the attack shortly after we left Konoha and the one earlier today," Kakashi answered getting a gasp from Tsunami. "My team took care of the first without much trouble and I fought the one earlier today." Kakashi didn't mention Naruto's involvement since he knew all too well the ire of an angry mother, especially with Shikamaru's mother, she was scary! Besides he had heard Tazuna tell Naruto that he was going to tell his mom him self.

"You don't seem to be overly injured," observed Tsunami.

"That fight was so cool!" exclaimed Hibachi before Kakashi could say anything, "Zabuza had a big ass sword, bigger then Sensei! And then the little blonde guy, Naruto, had some really cool moves, the way he dodged the sword and got inside Zabuza's defenses! Did you guys see the Suiben, that thing was so cool!" He said truing to Sasuke, "Wonder if he's willing to teach it to me?"

Hibachi hadn't notice Tsunami pale at the mention of a sword bigger then Kakashi, he hadn't seen her pale farther at the mention that Naruto was involved. He didn't see her color return with a vengeance, turning her face angry red. His inattentiveness caused him to jump out of his seat and onto the floor when Tsunami yelled, "Naruto!" leaving the –chan out of it all together.

A thump from up stairs was Tsunami's answer, followed by scrambling footsteps running down the hall and down the stairs. Naruto appeared at eh doorway to the kitchen, followed closely by a younger, black-haired boy in similar overalls, only his were green, a dull yellow turtle-necked, short sleeved shirt and a green-stripped bucket hat. Naruto pointed accusingly at Tazuna, "You said that I could tell her myself, Jiji!" Naruto said as he tried to catch his breath.

"I didn't say anything, Naruto-kun," Tazuna said quickly.

"Then who did?" Naruto demanded, looking back and forth between the members of Team 7. Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi all pointed at Hibachi as he stood from the floor, so Naruto his glare at the boy. "Dammit Hibachi! You may have just gotten me Killed! I swear I'm going to kick you ass for this!" Naruto told him releasing a bit of kill intent with out realizing it, causing the boy to shake a little.

"Naruto! Watch your language and stop treating our guest!" Tsunami snapped before Naruto could go into a rant of exactly what he was going to do to Hibachi and making everyone jump a little. Tsunami continued speaking in a sickly sweet voice, "Now, what's this about your 'cool moves' in fighting a guy with a 'big ass sword'?"

Now it was Naruto's turn to shiver, as much as he hated being called Naruto-chan, he knew that when Tsunami dropped it was as bad as he saying his whole name. Taking a big breath to calm himself down, Naruto then let it out in a heavy sigh as he resigned himself to his fate. "Zabuza wanted to kill Jiji. I tried just getting Jiji out of there after Kakashi-san was captured, but the Genin wouldn't leave without their sensei." He explained.

"So, are you saying its their fault?" Tsunami asked heatedly as she turned towards Team 7.

"No!" Naruto said quickly, not wanting his mother ire on their guest and the only ninja that he had a chance to train with since he started. "I was ganna go back for Kakashi-san after I got Jiji out of there, hoping to at least keep my secret a little longer, " he added the last part in a small whisper, but Tsunami still heard it thanks to the supersonic hearing that all mothers seemed to have when it came to their kids. Naruto then tried to change the subject by asking something that had been bugging him since the fight, "By the way Kakashi-san, how were you able to speak while you were in the water prison? I mean it not a bubble from what I saw."

Kakashi closed his one visible eye in what Naruto assumed was a sign he was smiling, "oh, its quite simple really," he started to explain, "all it takes is-"

"Never mind that!" Tsunami snapped again earning another jump from everyone in the room "Stop trying to change the subject, Nami no Naruto!" now she was using his whole name! It was not going to be pretty, "And how long exactly, have you been keeping this secret," she asked raising an eyebrow.

"I started training the summer after first grade, before I turned seven. I got the idea a few months before I started from that ninja girl that was here with here team protecting one of the merchant ships. She showed use a couple of her jutsu at the playground one day." Naruto spoke quickly, answering the questions he knew were coming before Tsunami asked them, "I got a couple of scrolls from Uzushiogakure, which I found a few days before Inari was born back when I was three when I went to the woods with Jiji and tou-san. I went there the first day of school and explored a bit, I found a scroll that really helped me out and then I built up from there."

"Naruto, when ever you weren't at school, you were always with Inari, how did you do that and find time to train?" Tsunami asked.

"I only started spending all my time with Inari after that first summer." Naruto explained from where he was no seated at the table, send the occasional glare at Hibachi, who at least had the decency to look a bit sheepish, and other wise not meeting Tsunami's intense gaze. The scroll I found was really helpful, it had a jutsu called Kage Bunshin that is really useful," he made the necessary hand sigh and another Naruto appeared standing next to him, I sent one to school while I trained myself physically, and then when school ended I would set clone to train with chakra control and other mental training, then I would hang out with Inari myself, or some times I would hang out with Akiza-chan, Aoi or Haru-oniichan.

"What ever the Kage Bunshin learns I learn, so it was like I was always at School myself, I also made sure that there was only one me interacting with people at a time so that you wouldn't get suspicious."

"Why did you even start to train as a shinobi, Naruto?" asked Tsunami, she was glad the boy understood where she was going and answered her questions without her having to ask them, but he had not answered that one that she wanted to know the most.

"When Tou-san died I wanted to be able to protect you, Inari and Jiji. Being a ninja seemed perfect and actually possible for me," Naruto explained, "I failed to protect Kaiza-tousan, and I could not live with myself if I failed to protect Jiji too, Kaa-chan," after saying that Naruto finally looking up at her and met her gaze, "That's exactly what I did today!"

Naruto's response blew the wind out of Tsunami's sails, bringing her boiling fury down a few notches. She could tell that Naruto had put a lot of effort into keep the secret and discussing it in front of everyone might not have been the best idea. Still she was not going to let him off easy for risking his life. She stood up and walked across the room to her son. Once there she proceeded to grab him by the ear and drag him out of the room while the boy protested, but didn't really fight back, and sent death glares at Hibachi, "Stop Glaring at Hibachi-kun, Naruto!"

Inari, who hadn't moved from his spot from the door except to allow Tsunami to drag Naruto through, stood dumbfounded and confused by what had happened. "Jiji, what was that about?" he asked Tazuna.

As Tazuna explained what had just happened and the fight against Zabuza to the confused eight-year-old, the sounds of Tsunami chewing out Naruto could be heard through the walls.  
>xXx<br>Tsunami had eventually let Naruto off because it would be rude to keep guest waiting for dinner, but she had the perfect punishment for the boy. He had managed to convince her to wait until after the ninja left the village by saying that it was a good opportunity to train with other ninja and fix some errors that he may be making. But once they were gone Naruto would be grounded one month for every year that he had lied.

Dinner itself was relatively quite, while the adults talked about what was going on outside Nami and Sasuke and Sakura ate quietly listening to the adult's conversation, Naruto glared at Hibachi, occasionally dragging his finer across his throat in a threatening manner while his ear still pulse as Tsunami had held onto it for the duration of the chew out, and Hibachi avoided meeting Naruto's gaze like the plague.

After dinner was done the, Kakashi and team 7 stayed at the table with the family and the y talked about what Kakashi had planned for the mission and what they would be doing until the bridge was finished. "Zabuza is still alive," Kakashi continued explaining getting gasps from almost everyone.

"But Sensei, didn't you check his pulse?" asked Sakura.

"Yes, there was none, said Kakashi, "But there are ways to put someone in a death-like state,"

"Like through specific pressure points on the neck, using something like senbon," finished Naruto, "like the hunter did!"

"If that's true, Kakashi, then why didn't we go after them?" asked Sasuke, a bit irritated but in truth he was excited for a rematch against Zabuza. He wouldn't stand around the next time like he did earlier that day.

Kakashi turned his gaze towards his more quite student and said in all seriousness, "I was tired," causing everyone to stare at him in amazement, to let a dangerous enemy escape because he was tired, really? What kind off Jounin was he? "And you guys would not have been able to take on the Hunter on your own and Naruto was under equipped for another fight," he explained getting a sigh of relief from Tsunami at the fact that the man protecting her father was reasonable and not lazy, though it was to early to know just yet.

"So we are going to train you guys up so that you guys can beat the Hunter as a team while I fight Zabuza alone," Kakashi continued, looking at Naruto for the last part and then adding, "you are welcome to join us Naruto but you wont take part in the fights, we were hired to protect Tazuna and his family, which we cant do if you fight our fights for us."

Tsunami couldn't be more relived, but that dwindled down when she heard Naruto speck in a determined voice. "If necessary I will fight," he said looking Kakashi in the eye, "so if you really don't want me to fight you better not hold back against Zabuza next time. Trust your Genin to be able to take care of themselves if things escalate too far."

Kakashi blinked at the boys blunt analyzes of his performance against Zabuza, even giving his reason for fighting like that. Kakashi had held back against Zabuza, not wanting to escalate things to far and have the Genin caught in the cross-fire. Now he realized that Zabuza had no such limitations, so why had he held back against Sasuke in the mist? He could have easily cleaved him in half but instead just beat him down with taijutsu.

Kakashi realized that everyone was starting at him except for Sasuke who had a pensive expression on his face, no doubt thinking about what Naruto's words meant, and Inari who looked disgusted. Kakashi nodded towards Naruto, implying that he understood what Naruto was getting at, and he did. 'Don't hold back for the sake of my team because the enemy certainly won't,' he thought, 'you would think I would know that by now, especially after what happened to Obito.

"You shouldn't try so hard," Inari said in a matter-of-fact voice, "You can't beat Gato. No one can. You only get yourselves killed."

There was no emotion in the boy's voice. No one said anything as Inari got up and walked out of the room and upstairs. After a moment Naruto got up and followed him. Team 7 exchanged a look before Kakashi sent them to bed, "Alright you guys, time to turn in. we get up at six to start your training."

Shortly after his team left for bed Kakashi excused himself and went to the room provided for him. The boy simply explaining himself to his mother had answered a lot of the questions Kakashi had had. The boy had trained himself using scrolls that he found in Uzushiogakure, Kushina's home village if he wasn't mistaken. Know all he needed was to see what the boy could actually do, not just as support but by himself.  
>xXx<p>

Naruto usually got up at five in the morning to do some physical training, an hour run, an hour of other exercise and katas and then head home for breakfast at seven. As he returned however he found that breakfast was over and Kakashi and his team were just heading out for training for the day.

"There you are Naruto," greeted Kakashi, "a late sleeper I see."

Naruto opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by Tsunami saying, "You missed Breakfast, Naruto. Mind explaining where you were?"

"I was outside training. I do that every morning." Naruto told her. It had felt horrible to keep secrets from her, but the whole training to be a ninja thing would have never been allowed if she found out, though there was little she could do now, because unfinished training could be fatal, she could still order him to stop, and he would since she was his Kaa-chan. No amount of ninja training was going to change that she was scary when angry or irritated.

Given how long he had hidden that secret, Naruto was making an effort to be as truthful as possible hoping that it would lessen the severity of his punishment from 'grounded for the rest of you life' to something a bit more reasonable. What kind of ninja would he be if he was stuck in his room for the rest of his life?

"Well," Kakashi said not retracting the late sleeper comment, "Let's go team. Naruto if you would like to join us, we'll be right outside in the clearing behind you house. Bring all your equipment with you please."

As Team 7 left eh house, Naruto sat at the table while Tsunami served him a bowl of cereal. When Naruto looked at her questionably she said by way of explaining, "Sorry, Naruto-chan. Those boys could sure eat, almost as much as you if you put them together. Must be part of a growing ninja's life style I guess," she said the last part as she exited the room and headed back into the kitchen.

After Naruto ate his breakfast, he made his way up to his room and pulled up a loss floorboard from under his bed and took two small scrolls from inside. He went outside and found Sasuke and Hibachi running, or at least trying too, up a couple of trees at the edge of the clearing while Sakura sat a high branch taking a break. Kakashi stood a few feet from the back porch.

"I was just coming to get you," he said when Naruto saw him, "Did you bring your equipment with you?"

"Yeah I brought it," Naruto said with a nod as he pulled out the two small scrolls, "Why do you need these, anyway?"

"I what to check what you have been training with is this all of it?" Kakashi said simply while he took the offered scrolls. Kakashi opened the first scroll and found it to be labeled as tools, and below the label he found simple sealing arrays. "I see you sealed everything. Good, it's a very useful skill."

Inside the Tools scroll Kakashi found Shuriken, Kunai, and other weapons. He unsealed the object labeled as armor and found it to be a set of clothes with chainmail embedded into the fabrics. It was dark red shirt and black cargo shorts outfit, not very bright but still colorful. It was a bit oversized for Naruto, however, and ragged in some areas.

Tsunami, who had come outside after Naruto saw the clothes and took them from Kakashi's hands, "I'll fix these," she said as she walked into the house to look for her sewing kit.

Kakashi unsealed a Kunai and studied the blade for a bit before specking, "These are old and rusted, but well cleaned and sharpened. They won't last long but they should work fine for a bit longer while you get new one." He pulled out one of the Shuriken and added, "Same for your Shuriken."

While Kakashi worked on the tools scroll Naruto busied himself by unsealing the other scroll entirely. When Kakashi looked up he found Naruto digging through a small mountain of old scrolls. One that was separate from the rest, a red and black one caught his attention and he picked it up.

Kakashi studied the scrolls surface and found it to be sealed with a blood seal. "Naruto, have you open this one?"

Naruto looked up, got a good look at the scroll and went back to digging through his pile of scrolls. "Yep! That's the scroll I got the Kage Bunshin no jutsu from. Why? Is it because if the blood seal on it? I can open it. At first I thought it wasn't real. Actually at first I didn't know what it was, but it opened so I didn't care. Later I found out what it was and that I am of Uzumaki descent. But I have no idea who the Uzumaki were."

Kakashi took in the new information and filed it away under 'proof' before turning his attention back to the tools scroll. A minute later Naruto exclaimed, "Yetta! I found it!" He set a scroll apart from the rest and resealed the rest of them. "Alright Kakashi, I wanted to ask you about this the moment you got into the house, but the n the whole thing with Kaa-chan happened and I didn't get to ask. Anyways! Do you have a chakra paper on you? This scroll is about element manipulation and I can't start until I know what my affinity is and I can't find any paper."

Kakashi amazed that the young boy was already so far in his training, dug through his pouch and pulled out a small slip of thin paper before handing it to Naruto. "You're lucky I carry some all the time," he said with a smile. Naruto channeled chakra into the paper that easily split in half down the middle and then got a bit damp.

"So you're a wind-type, with a slight affinity for water thrown in." Kakashi said staring at the paper. Even for him, who used all elements, chakra paper only crinkled up when he channeled chakra into it, he had never seen one have two reactions at once, no matter how small the second was.

"What does that mean?"

"It means that you should focus on the wind affinity first while you finish developing the water one. Do you know the exercises?"

"Yeah, the scroll is very detailed about them all! I got to go practice right now!" Naruto said as he tried to dash past Kakashi to get to the trees so that he could start his wind element training, only to be caught by the collar of his shirt by Kakashi.

"Can you show me what you can do with this?" Kakashi asked as he unsealed something from the scroll. It was a small 8"blade with a shorter 4" blade at an angle to the longer one attached to a long, thin chain with a weighted ring at the end. The chain, while thin, was durable and the Links small enough do that nothing could get through easily.

"I really haven't used the kusarigamabefore," Naruto said looking at the weapon.

"It's not a kusarigama, Naruto. It's a Kyoketsu-shoge. The difference is the blade. The kusarigama uses a sickle, this is a straight blade. I haven't seen one in years to tell you the truth." If Naruto found it in the Uzushio then that explained it.

Naruto took the kyoketsu-shoge and gulped, he had never really used it before, and only his clones had practiced with it. He didn't want to stab himself, not because he was afraid of being stabbed but because he would have to explain why he had gotten stabbed in the first place to his Kaa-chan.

His clones were able to control the weapon easily, so by proxy so could he. He set him self into the stance he had practiced through his clones and started swinging the blade slowly. "Wait, I want to see you use it against an opponent," Kakashi said getting Naruto to stop the blade.

"Against who?" asked Naruto, as he attached the blade's sheathe to his belt.

"How about a little spar, just you and me?" asked Kakashi, "Everything allowed. I want to see exactly what you can do, think of this as a test."  
>xXx<p>

A/n

I made up Hibachi's last name, since we were never given his full name. Akiza is Naruto's best friend, I had her in some of the earlier chapters but i ended cutting the scenes, i didn't realize that I had none in there untill i mentioned her in this chapter. Same for Aoi, he is Naruto's best friend as well. Haru was from earlier in the story, Naruto's babysitter (only in mentioning). I would have added the spar in this chapter but then it would have been much too long. Yes Kakashi did notice things about Naruto in the fight against Zabuza. Hope you liked the chapter.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

March 18 (Age12)

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" asked Naruto as he squared off against Kakashi. "You haven't fully recovered from your fight against Zabuza yet."

"I think that I can still handle a spar against you," Kakashi responded, "After all you are only twelve. Besides you fought against Zabuza too," Kakashi pointed out.

"Yeah, but didn't use nearly as much chakra as you did," Naruto shot back.

"I can handle myself, Naruto," Kakashi said as he dropped into a defensive stance.

"Fine," Naruto said, dropping into his own stance. The two stared at each other, each waiting for the other to make the first move. Once it became clear that Kakashi was in no hurry, Naruto decided that he didn't want to wait anymore. Forming the hand seals for his most used jutsu, Naruto started running towards Kakashi, five clones joining him with a burst of smoke.

'The same opening he used against Zabuza,' Kakashi thought as he blocked a round house from one Naruto and jumped to avoid a low sweeping kick, 'He slower though.'

Naruto's clones pressed the attack on Kakashi, while the real Naruto hid on the roof of his house. One clone tried to uppercut the Konoha Jounin while he was blocking a kick from another, forcing Kakashi to jump away before he could dispel the clone that had tried to kick him. The clones hadn't land a single blow but neither had Kakashi.

They continued trading blow, the clones protecting each other and Kakashi dodging and blocking all attacks, until one of the clones extended a punch too far, leaving itself open with no other clone around to help. Kakashi grabbed the clone's wrist and threw him at another, dispelling both. The remaining four Naruto moved in form all sides.

Kakashi avoided the first attack, jumping clear of all the clones that tried to surround him and landing behind one of them. A quick jab to the clones back and there was only three left. Deciding to press his advantage, Kakashi kicked one of the remaining clones in the chest. The clone blocked the attack but it was still enough to dispel it.

The last two clones attacked together, forcing Kakashi to back-pedal and block, the clones not giving him a chance to counter and leaving no openings between the two of them. 'They have good teamwork and don't get in each others way. Their taijutsu follows no real style, he just makes things up as he goes along.' Deciding to take the chance Kakashi dropped to the ground into a sweeping kick. Both Narutos managed to jump away, however, and lunged towards Kakashi as he stood back up.

Kakashi moving faster then he had up to that point, punched on clone in the face, slamming it into the last one but not before taking a good punch himself. All three burst into smoke, leaving the field empty.  
>xXx<p>

Sakura had already completed the tree-walking exercise about o week before the team was assigned the mission to Nami. The only reason that she was still doing it now was because Kakashi had told her that it would help build up her chakra reserves which were much too small.

According to Rin-sensei, she had the chakra control but needed bigger reserves if she was going to become a medical ninja. So she kept practicing along with Sasuke and Hibachi. Sasuke had had the exercise down too, but said he wanted to do it while walking and reach the top of one of the trees around Tazuna-san's house.

Hibachi was the only one that was still trying top get it down, falling more often then not, albeit from higher up the tree teach time, meaning he was making progress. He had no natural talent or drive to become better. Or at least he didn't before Kakashi's lecture and suggestion of dropping out of the team so as to not hold it back. After that hibachi actually actively tried to get better, and Sakura had to say that when he actually tried he wasn't so bad, not as good as Sasuke-kun of course, but not as bad as he was at academy.

Now Sakura sat on a tree branch taking a break and watching the fight between Kakashi and Naruto. "What just happened?" she asked herself out loud when both Narutos and Kakashi disappeared from the field.

The question caught Sasuke's attention and he turned towards the empty field, but it was Hibachi that spoke, "What do you mean Sakura-san?"

Apparently both had been so absorbed by their training that they hadn't noticed the intense, by her standards, taijutsu match going on behind them. "Kakashi-sensei and Naruto-kun were sparing a minute ago but they both landed a hit on each other and burst into smoke," she explained.

After Sakura spoke Naruto jumped back into the field from the roof of the house followed closely by Kakashi.  
>xXx<p>

Naruto was shocked when he saw Kakashi burst into smoke like his clones usually did. So hocked in fact that he didn't Feel Kakashi land behind him on the roof until he said, "You didn't think that you were the only one that could use that jutsu, did you?"

Naruto turned around and saw Kakashi reading a small orange book. Kakashi looked up at Naruto and putting the book away he explained with an eye-smile, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu is a kinjutsu from Konoha, Any Jounin with enough chakra can learn it though. It was given to Uzushio by the First Hokage." Kakashi's eye then turned serious, "It's insulting to hold back on someone during a spar Naruto. It shows that you don't think enough of them to go all out against them. Don't hold back on me, Naruto."

"Sorry," Naruto said with a sheepish smile, not once taking his eyes off Kakashi, "But you were holding back too. I saw your speed increase before the last attack."

"Fair enough," Kakashi said and Naruto released the weight seals and jumped of the roof and into the field. Upon landing Naruto had to jump away from an ax kick and then block a punch headed for his face right afterwards.

'He's still holding back,' Naruto thought as he dodged and countered Kakashi's attacks, "but I can barely keep up with him!' After taking a nasty punch to the gut, and a kick to the ribs that sent him a few yards away, Naruto put even more distance between himself and Kakashi before sending in more clones to keep the Jounin occupied.  
>xXx<p>

Tsunami, Tazuna, who had taken the day off as Kakashi had suggested, and Inari had been sitting on the porch since before the spar between Kakashi and Naruto started, but once it did, Inari stood and headed inside the house mumbling about going fishing to catch dinner. As the fight escalated, Tsunami was surprised to find that her son was fast enough to keep up with a professional ninja. She realized, however that the Jounin was holding back when he started to move faster and beat the last two clones.

After they returned to the clearing, they both moved faster, becoming blurs to Tsunami's untrained eye. She did see, however, when Naruto bent over Kakashi's fist and then was sent flying by a kick that must have cracked a few ribs.

But when she saw the first sings of a blade in Kakashi's hand she began to panic. She watched in horror as the clone in the shape of her son were slashed and stabbed through with the kunai knife in Kakashi's grip. To her relief they had all turnout to be clones, she didn't know what she would do if he cut the real Naruto, though she might still do something even if they weren't real.  
>xXx<p>

Naruto watched as Kakashi decimated his clones, 'He's right, if I hold back in I might end up getting killed in this friendly spar.' Naruto pulled out a couple shuriken and set them flying in a path straight to Kakashi.

Kakashi saw the shuriken coming at him but judged them to be coming from to far away to even reach him, let alone harm him, so he ignored them and focused on the never ending waves of Naruto's clones. Naruto smirked and clapped his hands together and called out, "Fūton: Reppūshō!" Wind compressed around Naruto, who then sent it forward towards Kakashi.

The gale caught the shuriken, increasing their speed more then enough for them to reach Kakashi with added power. Kakashi was also caught in the wind and allowed himself to be knocked over and then stuck to the ground, allowing the shuriken to fly over him and keeping him from being blown away by the jutsu. The clones however, were all destroyed by the attack, leaving Kakashi and Naruto a moment between their fight to catch their breath.

Naruto took the kyoketsu-shoge out from its sheath, holding the blade by the handle in one hand and the chain looped in his other hand. Kakashi disappeared in a swirl of leaves. Naruto turned on instinct and blocked the Kunai with his own weapon. Backpedaling away from Kakashi, Naruto started swirling the blade, holding it farther down the chain. Thrusting the kyoketsu-shogeforward, Naruto forced Kakashi to dodge to the left, where he had to block a slash from the weapon as it returned to Naruto. Naruto soon had the kyoketsu-shoge swinging all around him and the chain wrapping itself around him forcing the blade to change direction.

Kakashi back flipped away from the slashed and rolled away from the stabs, blocking when he was unable to move out of the way. He noticed that had not moved far from the spot where he started his attack, mostly likely concentrating on controlling the Kyoketsu-shoge's movements.

Seeing it as an opening, Kakashi launched the kunai in his hand at the short blonde. The blade was to far away to intercept the kunai, but to Kakashi's surprise it was intercepted by the weighted ring at the other end. The kunai slipped into the ring and was pulled out of its courses by the momentum of the ring. The same momentum kept it from falling away from the chain before it was snapped around, sending the kunai back at Kakashi.

Kakashi dodged the Kunai, but almost got his head taken off by the Kyoketsu-shoge's blade. Barely managing to bend back he avoided it by the skin of his teeth. 'Okay, he's got great control of his weapon. I have to finish this spar now.'

Naruto yanked the chain back, letting go and closing his hand around the hilt of the blade when it came close enough to garb it. Dragging the chains behind him, he quickly closed the distance between himself and Kakashi, jumping over the Jounin to try to ensnare him in the chain. Kakashi dropped low and rolled out the way, grabbing the chain as it passed by him.

Kakashi stood and yanked the chain hard towards him. He caught Naruto and put a kunai at the boy's throat. "That was a foolish move, Naruto," Kakashi said, "I win."

The Naruto in Kakashi's arms burst into smoke, revealing a log in his place. The hissing sound alerted Kakashi to the paper bombs attached to the other side of the log and he threw it as far as he could. He was a second to late and was engulfed in a ball of fire.

Naruto appeared at the other side of the clearing, chain wrapped around his torso and the blade in its sheath. "I think I over did it a bit," he said to himself.

Before the smoke even cleared Naruto felt the prick of a kunai against his throat again, "Not quite," Kakashi said from behind him, the smoke clearing and revealing a singed log. "I win!" Kakashi said again, removing the blade from the boy's throat.

"Fine, you win," Naruto said dejectedly before cheering up and asking, "So how did I do?"

'I underestimated him," Kakashi thought, "He has great timing with his weapon and jutsu, as well as being able to think on his feet. He didn't even use any of the Suiton jutsu, from yesterday.' "You did fine," He told the boy with a smile and cheer tone.

"That's it? You're not going to elaborate on it?" Naruto asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Not really, no."

"Whatever, I'm going to go practice cutting my leaf now." With that Naruto ran off towards Kakashi's team and ran up a tree to sit on one of the branches so as to have instant t access to the leaves. "Hey guys, what's up?" Naruto greeted the Genin of Team 7. Sasuke glared slightly at him, so Naruto turned to Sakura and Hibachi, who actually waved back. "So have you guys finished your tree walking training?"

I finished it a week ago," Sakura said, "I'm doing it to build up my chakra reserves. Hibachi's almost got it. He should be done by this evening. Sasuke-kun-"

Before Sakura could finish her sentence, Sasuke spoke up, saying only a simple, "fight me," to Naruto.

"What no, hello or anything?" Naruto asked placing both hands into a t-shape in front of him, "No thanks. I'm kinda tired from fighting Kakashi-san. Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" With that he proceeded to create a couple hundred clones that each sat on their own branches.

The Naruto's all focused on cutting the leaf cupped between their hands with their wind chakra while Sakura and Hibachi poked at the clones nearest them. "You mind?" said the clone Sakura was poking, "I'm trying to concentrate." The clone being poked by hibachi wasn't nearly as nice, snapping at the boy before punching him out of the tree.

"Sorry," said Sakura, "I didn't know that you could make solid clones out of nothing. I thought you needed a base, like water or earth."

"It takes a lot of chakra," the clone said simply.

Sakura wanted to ask more about the clones and about the sparring session against Kakashi, but refrained less she end up like Hibachi, although that could have simply been because Naruto was still sore with him about telling Tsunami about the fight with Zabuza.

Naruto got up from his branch and jumped to the ground. "Where are you going Naruto-san?' asked Hibachi, "I thought you were training."

"I'm a clone," the Naruto on the ground called up, "Boss said I have to go with Inari." And with that the clone headed back inside the house.

A few minutes later, two Narutos, one of them the original, dropped his leaf and jumped to the ground as well. "Kaa-chan, told me to go to the village."

While the other said, "And I have to go with Inari," and headed off into the house.

"You guys want to come with me?" the original Naruto asked

After the Genin accepted, save for Sasuke who said that he had training to do and didn't have time to waste, Naruto stayed behind while Hibachi dragged Sakura to the front of the house before she could change her mind and stay with Sasuke.

Naruto followed the Konoha Genin after a moment of looking at the woods where Sasuke had disappeared into. He found Sakura and Hibachi waiting for him on the dock in front of the house. Tsunami stepped out of the front door and handed Naruto some ryo and a short list. "Here's the list and ryo, Naruto-chan," Tsunami said.

"Kaa-chan!" Naruto whined, "Stop calling me that! I'm a ninja! You can't call a ninja 'chan'! It's embarrassing!"

Tsunami simply turned around and headed inside while waving over her shoulder and saying, "Whatever you say Naruto-chan."  
>xXx<p>

The village was in a sorry state. Every building was in varying states of disrepair. Most buildings had broken windows and or holes in the walls and roofs. The people weren't any better off. There clothes were little more then rags and their faces dirty. As they walked, everyone kept their gaze down in shame or fear.

As, Naruto, Sakura, and Hibachi walked down the street, the two Konoha ninja were amazed at the state of the village and villagers, Tazuna had said things were bad, but they had never imagined that it was this bad. A man walked into Sakura and muttered a quick apology. As he tried to walk away Sakura grabbed the man's elbow pulling him towards her, "You shouldn't try to steal from a ninja," she snapped taking her wallet out off the man's grip, shoving him away from the group.

As the man stumbled away, Naruto said cheerfully, "Yeah you may want to put your wallets or ryo somewhere where no one would expect it to be. Since your clothes aren't really, well, rags you will be targeted by the pickpockets a lot.

"How can you be so cheerful about the state of your village, Naruto-san?" asked Hibachi, completely disbelieving Naruto's attitude.

"Meh," Naruto shrugged, "Things could be worse." That was the only explanation he gave, as he walked into the grocery store. The shelves were bare and the prices extremely high for what little they did have.

"Good Morning, Naruto-kun!" greeted the middle-aged women behind the counter, "Who are your friends?"

"This is Sakura and Hibachi, Aya-san" Naruto introduced as he handed the list to Aya, "They part o f the shinobi team that's here to protect Jiji."

"Ah, so you're ninja?" she asked going over the list before a frown came to her face, "Sorry, Naruto-kun, we only have half the amount of rice your Kaa-san is asking for."

"That's okay," Naruto waved of her apology, "We can make do." With that Naruto paid for the products that Aya did have and started walking towards the door. A muscular man with no shirt and jagged scars all over his torso and an eye patch covering his right eye and scar over his left, carrying a katana shoved Naruto out of the way and headed for the counter.

"I'm here to collect Gato-sama's tax money. Hand it over, hag." He demanded slamming his hand on the counter top. Aya took the money that Naruto had just paid with and handed it to the man.

Naruto glared at the man with pre rage and hatred, his arm shooting out and grabbing a hold of hibachi's shoulder before the boy did something stupid and made things worse for Aya. When the man turned to leave Hibachi turned to glare at Naruto but before he said anything Naruto beat him to it.

"That's Waraji," Naruto spat, "One of Gato's personal bodyguards. He's a weakling but if we did anything Gato would definitely notice. And if he got away things would only get worse for Aya." Hibachi calmed down after that and the trio headed home.  
>xXx<p>

Naruto's clones had continued to train while the original went to the village with Sakura and Hibachi. They found the wind manipulation training to be easy, having been working with it for years. They estimated that they would be able to at least cut the leaf by the end of the week. A fraction of the clones dispelled every hour, adding their knowledge too the others and preventing something similar to what happened the first time Naruto tried to train with clones.

Sasuke watched from the tree he was walking up, no longer running. "Why doesn't the original want to fight me?" he asked suddenly, "Where did you learn that jutsu?"

The clone nearest him shrugged as he answered, "He was tired from fighting Kakashi-san and eager to begin this training. And you need to be more specific about what jutsu, although he learned them all from scrolls."

"The Kage Bunshin," Sasuke elaborated, "which scroll? I demand that you show me the scroll!"

The clone just stared at him disbelievingly him while others around him stifled laughs, "You really expect me to just hand over my jutsu to you? It's from my family scroll. You really want me to give it to you? Besides you don't have the chakra to use it."

"You have a clan?" Sasuke asked bewildered, "Where are they?"

"Dead," 'Naruto' said simply, "They were wiped out a long time ago from what I can see. I may be the last Uzumaki left, though I don't go by that name."

"Why not?" how could anyone turn their back on their clan? He only knew one person that had but he would die soon enough.

"I never knew them, but I might take the name as a second family name later on."

'So Naruto was the last of his clan as well, wonder if he's driven by revenge as well? Probably not since he never knew them,' Sasuke thought.

Pretty soon there were only ten clones left and they dispelled as the sunset. Sasuke made it to the top at the same time and chose to end his training as well.  
>xXx<p>

As Inari and the Naruto clone that was with him walked home, each carrying a few fish.

Inari had been very quite the entire day, Not even greeting Naruto when he arrived at their favorite fishing spot. Actually Inari had been quite since the day that the Konoha shinobi arrived. The comment that he made about them all die had been weird. Inari had never spoken like that before. Naruto would really need to ask him what was wrong.

The clone's thoughts were interrupted by the memories of the last clones in charge of training flashed in his mind. He pulled a leaf from a near by tree and closed his free hand around the leaf. He focused his wind chakra for a minute and then opened his hand to revel a jagged slash on the leaf. It wasn't clean or went all the way through but it was a start.

When they walked into the kitchen, 'Naruto' placed the cleaned and gutted fish, on the kitchen table and dispelled. The original Naruto, who sat on the couch in the living room suddenly shouted, "Yes!" startling everyone else in the room, "I did it! I cut the leaf!"

'That fast?' Kakashi thought as looked at Naruto celebrate, 'even with the use of shadow clones, it should have taken him at least a week to be able to cut it using hundreds of clones.'

Naruto ran into the table and picked up the leaf the clone had left on the table. He ran into the living room again yelling, "See I did it! Now all I need to do is make the blades thinner to refine the cut!"  
>xXx<p>

After Naruto had calmed down and Tsunami had cooked the fish using the ingredients that Naruto had brought From Aya's store, the group sat at the kitchen table and enjoyed a relatively quite dinner. After dinner, while Tsunami did the dishes with the help of a clone, Sakura walked around the room looking at the pictures hanging on the walls.

She came across a picture of Naruto and Inari kneeling in front of Tsunami with Tazuna. A hand placed on Inari's head but the man that the arm belonged to was ripped out of the photograph. "Why did you guys hang a ripped picture up?" she asked the family in general.

"That was Inari's father," Tazuna said. Inari got up from his spot between Sasuke and Naruto and headed out of the room.

"Inari!" Tsunami called after him but the boy just continued as if he hadn't heard her. "Tou-san!" she snapped at Tazuna, "You know not to speak of Kaiza in front of Inari!" When Naruto made to go after Inari, she said in a softer voice, "You stay here, Naruto. I'll take care of it." And she left eth room as well.

As Naruto sat back down, Sakura asked, "What happened to Inari's tou-san, Tazuna-san?"

"He was killed by Gato's men in front of the entire village," Tazuna began. He explained how Inari had met Kaiza, and how he save the village from flooding by fixing the gates, and finally of how he was executed publicly for standing against Gato when he first arrived.

"That was last year," Naruto said, "I failed to save him."

"How?" asked Hibachi.

"There's a draw back to using clones for training," Naruto began, "If they all dispel at the same time, I get massive headaches and sometimes pass out. As I tried to jump the fence to save him, all my clones dispelled. When I came too, Kaiza-tou-san was already dead."

Naruto didn't tell them about the weird chakra that popped his clones, and filled him with hatred for Gato and his men after the fact. They didn't need to know that. After excusing himself Naruto went to his room to find Inari already asleep, tearstains on his cheeks and clutching the ripped corner of the photograph to his chest.

"Looks like our talk has to wait then," he said to himself as he set up his futon.  
>xXx<p>

After Naruto left, Kakashi asked a question that had been bugging him since Tazuna began his story, "Tazuna-san, you said that Kaiza-san was Inari's father. Was he not Naruto's?"

"No," Tazuna said shaking his head, "Naruto looked up to him as well, but his father was always Inari's biological father, Kaito. He died when Naruto was four, shortly after Inari was born."

"You said Inari's biological father, wasn't he Naruto's natural father as well?"

Tazuna shook his head again, "Naruto was adopted." After that Tazuna wouldn't go into any details about Naruto's real parents except that he had witnessed their death at the hands of a demon the day Naruto was born.

The Genin took it to mean a murderer, but Kakashi kept his mind open to other possibilities. 'The Kyuubi?' he asked himself.  
>xXx<p>

Yep Kakashi is gathering the clues. Next chapter is more training and the talk with Inari. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. If anyone knows any well written storied that you liked can you pass them to me? I'm running out of reading material. Thanks!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer:I don't own Naruto

March 19 (Age 12)

Naruto woke up with team seven the next day, forgoing his morning training so as to be able to eat a proper breakfast. He didn't, however, leave with the team, instead staying behind to go with Inari. It was about time to start Teaching Inari a thing or two, before he got too old. Besides he could use it as an excuse to talk to Inari about his attitude as off late.

Inari had been different after meeting Kaiza, and reverted to his old self after his death. But now he was worse then he had ever been. He had always been quite, so that wasn't unusual, but he had never snapped at anyone the way he did the night that the Konoha ninja had arrived.

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Naruto was a ninja. Was he angry about Naruto lying to him for so long or that he didn't know if the time he spent with Naruto it had been with him or if it was with a clone.

As Inari settled into his favorite fishing spot, Naruto made his small army of clones, sending them into the trees to continue their training in cutting the leaf. Inari let out a scoff, getting Naruto's attention. Inari mumbled something under his breath so that Naruto couldn't hear, but Naruto chose to ignore it.

"C'mon, Inari, I gatta sow you something," Naruto said instead of sitting in his spot.

"What about the fishing?" asked Inari, "We gatta to bring some back, remember?"

"Don't worry about it," Naruto waved of his little brother's concerns, "I can do it, while I show you." With that, two Naruto's that had stayed behind when the others left stepped up to Inari. Inari handed his rod to the clone, glaring at it when Naruto wasn't looking.

"Alright Inari, I want you to hold this leaf on your head for as long as you can," Naruto said as he plucked a leaf from a low hanging branch once they were far away enough from the fishing hole.

Inari took the leaf and placed it on top of his head, "That's it?" he asked disbelievingly.

"No," Naruto shot back, "It's supposed to be on your forehead." He then took another leaf and stuck it to his forehead using chakra, "Like this!"

"Well, you said 'your head'," Inari grumbled as he moved the leaf to its appropriate spot. Once he let go, the leaf drifted to the ground. "It didn't work," Inari observed.

"You have to use chakra," Naruto explained going into lecture mode, "It's a mixture of your spiritual and physical energy. It's located at the center of your body. Try to feel the power within you and will it to your forehead once you find it. The leaf should stick, but if you use to little it'll fall, if you use too much it'll shot away."

Naruto watched Inari concentrate as he thought about what to say to Inari, and practiced with the leaf. The clone that had taken Inari's rod had dispelled due to an accident where he slipped and landed face first in the water and hit his head. From his memories he noticed that Inari glared at him before handing the clone the rod.

Inari had been doing that a lot lately, glaring at the cone when the real Naruto wasn't paying attention. He never did it to the real Naruto, but it still hurt to have his little brother look at him like that.

Naruto was brought out thoughts when he felt a tiny chakra signature coming from Inari, Not enough for the leaf exercise he had started of with but it meant that he had found the chakra and that was the first step. "Just a bit more, 'Nari," he encouraged, "Let go of the leaf… now."

"Inari released the leaf and it stuck to his forehead for about a second before falling of his head. "You're getting it! Just focus and maintain the chakra flow now and it should stay!"

"Okay," Inari didn't really sound exited, but he did sound determined.

Hours later when Inari was finally able to keep the leaf on his forehead for a half-minute, Naruto asked, "Inari? Are you angry at me lying to you about being a ninja?"

Inari froze, losing his concentration and dropping the leaf. "No," he said after a moment, "I'm not angry. I just want to know why you wanted to be a ninja." Inari had already heard the reason. He had been standing in the room when Naruto got chewed out by Tsunami about it.

"So that I could protect you guys, my family after Tou-san died," Naruto said

That was the same thing that Naruto had said that night, and it made Inari angry. Angry because he knew Naruto started his training as a seven year old, and Kaiza had died last year. If what Naruto said was true then he didn't save Kaiza because he didn't consider him family.

"Then why didn't you save Tou-san?" Inari shouted.

Naruto instantly understood why Inari was angry and why he glared at the clones. He hadn't been there when Naruto explained what had happened that day with his clones, but Inari must have figured that if Naruto could make so many copies the n why didn't he use them to Save Kaiza.

"I tried, Inari," Naruto tried to explain but Inari cut him off.

"No you didn't!" He shouted, "You didn't love Tou-san because you already had one and you thought that Tou-san was taking his place! You let him die!

Naruto said nothing to defend himself, only stood there until Inari was done yelling. When Inari finished, "I did try, nut my clones popped at the same time. I passed out from getting too many memories at the same time. It was still my fault, for training with the clones that day, but Kaiza-tou-san was still my dad as well," Naruto said quietly.

"I didn't know what was going to happen that day but I should have guessed when he pulled me to the side and made me promise to protect you guys." He continued, "I think he knew about me being a ninja, because that day he also made me promise to not to go after Gato by myself, to keep myself safe in order to protect you guys.

"The last thing I remember as I tried to climb the fence to where they killed him was him looking up at me and shaking his head, and then turning to look at you."

Inari said nothing, He remembered Naruto being with him when they found out about the execution, but nothing about Naruto climbing the fence, only that he was passed out after Tazuna finally pulled him away from the fence.

If Naruto timely saw Kaiza as a father then that meant that he had lost two while Inari had only lost the one. Yet Naruto didn't seem affected by his loses, after Kaiza had died, Naruto had been fine after returning from the forest, as far as Inari could tell. But then again Naruto had always been like that.

Since Gato arrived, many people had been killed by the mercenaries that collected the unfair taxes. Haru-oniichan had been one of them. Naruto who had known him since he was young, had tried to hide his sadness behind a mask of happiness. Maybe Inari had been to blind by his own sadness that he didn't spot the one that Naruto wore for Kaiza.

Still he had to ask why he still trained by using the clones if it had such a serious drawback. "Why do you train with clones then? If that happens then why continue?"

"Because I learned that if I only dispel a few at the time, then I don't get the whiplash." This time not telling Inari about the weird chakra that had kept him from saving Kaiza made Naruto feel a bit guilty. He still wasn't sure if it was normal, he would have to ask Kakashi before he left.

There were no apologies thrown around or hugs, only a few tears from Inari and Naruto, though he tried to hide them and kept mumbling "it's okay to cry when you're happy" under his breath, they didn't need that. They only needed to know that they would still be there for each other, because that's what brothers were for.

After their talk Inari returned to his exercise with new vigor. Not only determination shone in his eyes, but excitement and drive of being able to protect those he cared for along side Naruto. By the end of the day he could stick a leaf to his forehead for an entire minute.

As they walked home, Inari remembered about the fish that they were supposed to catch for dinner but when he brought it up Naruto only chuckled and kept walking. When they arrived home, Tsunami and Sakura were already preparing the fish that the clones had brought in.

As the two walked into the living room, Hibachi was knocked out on the couch while Kakashi sat on the other end reading his book.

"Oi! Kakashi-san what's your book about?" Naruto asked. He had been wondering about it since he first saw it. The binding was worn so it had been read a lot, since he got to Nami Kakashi must have read it at least twice, judging by how thin the book was and the fact that he read all day.

"It's about things not suited for children," Kakashi answered, not moving his eye from the book.

"Then you shouldn't be reading it from of them then, Kakashi-san," Tsunami said in a clipped voice as she walked in with a couple of Lemonades for her sons and houseguests, "or at all for that matter. If I see that book again in my house, I will make sure it disappears." Not once did she raise her voice, but Kakashi got the message and put the book away.

Hibachi was nudged awake by Kakashi once Tsunami had said that Dinner was ready and the group of four moved to the kitchen where they found Tazuna, Sasuke and Sakura already seated.

As dinner drew to a close, Hibachi suddenly shouted, "Where were you, Naruto-san? I thought we were going to have a spar?"

Naruto had completely forgotten about that and promised to spar against both boys and Sakura if she wanted to the next day.

Inari's mode towards Naruto had returned to normal, but that fact that Naruto had failed to stop Gato, even with Ninja training, only reinforced his belief in the fact that Gato couldn't be beaten. And that if they tried they would only whined up like Kaiza. There was no such thing as heroes. There were only people that strong, because no matter how strong you were, there was always a chance you would fail.

And heroes didn't fail.

"Will you guys stop acting so confident?" He snapped, at the Konoha ninja, getting anger form Hibachi and Sasuke and pity from Sakura, but he stood his ground, "You can't beat Gato! Nii-san failed to save Tou-san! You expect to be able to save the entire country?"

"That's it you little brat!" Sasuke snapped, "I know you had it bad but there is always someone that had it worse then you!" Sasuke didn't know what had come over him, but now that he started he wouldn't just drop it. "Crying won't bring them back!"That confused everyone but Kakashi, "so stop sulking and get stronger to be able to avenge them! I know that won't bring them back but at least it's some thing to work for, something to keep you going!"

With what he needed to say said, Sasuke stood and left the house entirely, Inari wanting to do the same. Once he was gone Sakura asked, "What did he mean by 'them', Kakashi-sensei? Did he mean-"

"Yes, he did, Sakura," Kakashi answered her question before turning to Tsunami, "I apologize for my student," he then turned to Inari, "I would disregard most of what he said, except for the not crying part, that would do you good. He was talking to himself after that, no you.

"Don't go after revenge, nothing will come from it but more pain and revenge. It's not the best path to take, but one that may be unavoidable at times." Kakashi sighed before continuing, "There will always e some one out there worse of then you, Sasuke and, if I'm right, Naruto being two of them. Naruto has lost more then just one father, but a mother as well, even if he never knew her. Sasuke has lost both as well, along with every other member of his family, at the hands of someone he thought would always be there for him.

"But he doesn't give up, he wants his revenge and it keeps him going. He doesn't sit around crying." Through out the lecture Kakashi's voice was calm, almost pitying, but it still reduced a few people to tears, and drew a few surprised looks from Naruto and Tsunami when he mentioned him.

Inari didn't have to ask why Sasuke didn't just sit and crying, he already knew the answer. It had been woven into the entire speech, Revenge. Was it what drove Naruto too? No it wasn't. Naruto fought to protect, he had told him that just a few hours ago. If what happened today was any indication, Naruto was planning on teaching Inari the way of the ninja, and he would have to find his own reason to fight.  
>xXx<p>

Thanks to all that reviewed.

Well it was shorter then the rest but that should take care of moody Inari starts his ninja training, you didn't think that I would just leave him civilian did you? Next chapter should be the start of the second fight with Zabuza and Sasuke/ Hibachi vs. Haku. Half way done with the wave arc, I still have some emotional things to get over with, then the story moves on to the Konoha Arc. After that maybe Suna.

For those of you that care, i have published two crossovers, one with Zelda and the other for Halo.


	9. Chapter 9

March 19 (age 12)

Sasuke had left the house after his less than appropriate outburst. He had no idea why he went off on the kid like that. Maybe it was the eight year-old's attitude towards team seven that had made him snapped.

Sur the kid had lost his father to Gato, but then so had his older brother, Naruto. Yet the blonde still had a cheerful and bright attitude, and he had known Tsunami's first husband. He had lost two father figures already.

It wasn't that he didn't feel bad for the kid, he did. He could somewhat sympathize with the Nami no brothers. Only his pain was greater. He had lost his entire clan to his older brother, who claimed to have done it because he had wanted to test his limits. Sasuke at the time had believed him, and could still find no reasonable explanation besides that one that he had been given by Itachi.

He hadn't given up, he hadn't lost his hope. Instead he found a new reason to live. Before the Uchiha Massacre, as it was called, happened when he was eight, his reason for living had been to catch up and surpass Itachi, to step out of the shadow of his older brother and gain his father's attention.

Now, four years after the massacre his reason to live was still to surpass his older brother, and kill him in order to avenge the Uchiha clan. That was his goal, his ambition.

But unlike him, Inari had had lost all hope, and didn't believe that anybody could defeat Gato, simply because the slimy business man had taken out his father, a hero but still only a civilian. After hearing the story from Tazuna, Sasuke could say that he respected Kaiza. He was brave and a true hero. But he had stood no chance against Gato's mercenaries.

He had started out giving the kid advice, which quickly turned into repeating the things he had said to himself after waking up at the hospital after the attack. He didn't care, thought, it was still good advice as it got him thorough the first month after the death of his family.

Sasuke found himself deep in the forest around Tazuna's house. He decided that since he was there he might as well get some training in. He had already reached the goal he had set for himself with the tree walking exercise, but figured that wouldn't hurt to keep practicing that. After all if he practiced his ninjutsu he could end up starting a forest fire and according to Kakashi tree walking would increase his chakra reserves in the long run.

(March 20)

After breakfast was eaten, Naruto, Hibachi, Sakura and Inari made their way outside to the small clearing were Kakashi and Naruto had had their spar a few days earlier. Sasuke came trudging out of the forest with a thoughtful expression on his face a few minutes later. Sakura ran back inside and came out with some breakfast for the last Uchiha.

After wards, after setting Inari in his training form the day before, Naruto fought the Genin from Team Seven 7, and found that he still had a few things that he needed to work on.

In his sparing match against Hibachi, Naruto realized that he couldn't stand still while kyoketsu-shoge,  as the other boy used his Doton jutsu to avoid Naruto's attacks and launch attacks from below. It wasn't that Naruto didn't know the style that was used with the shoge, it was his best taijutsu actually, but he wasn't confident with the weapon e had only used once. He promised himself that he would practice himself, not through the clones the next time he was alone.

So instead he switched tactics, using ninjutsu to attack and eventually tricking Hibachi with a clone and trapping him with a Suiton: Suiben. After that the match was called and it was Sasuke up next.

Sasuke proved to be quite skilled at taijutsu, mopping the floor with Naruto's face until the blonde got some distance between them and switched to ninjutsu yet again. Sasuke proved to be just as proficient at this as well, but Naruto had the elemental advantage thanks to his Suiton and won the match.

When it was Sakura's turn to spar against Naruto, she was quite nervous, after all the blonde twelve year old had gone up against an S-class nuke-nin, held his own against her sensei in a spar, and beat the Rookie of the Year, Sasuke. Even if she was the Top Kunoichi in her class, she stood no chance of beating him!

So she rather nervous as she stood in the middle of the clearing waiting for Hibachi to signal the start of the spar, and when he finally dropped his hand and called out "Begin!" she quickly cast a weak genjutsu on her opponent.

It wouldn't hold him long, but maybe just long enough for her to come up with a battle plan. She had one under a minute, and even managed to set it up before he broke the genjutsu. She was in such a rush that she didn't notice that Naruto hadn't even awoken. When she did notice, she walked up to him cautiously, and found his face scrunched up in concentration.

The jutsu she had used made Naruto think that he was fighting while all he was really doing was standing still. Realizing that he may not be able to break the jutsu, Sakura tied him up with a bit of ninja wire and then released the technique, earning her the win.

When he had first started training, Naruto completely skipped genjutsu, realizing he had nowhere the needed control for it. Now he realized what a huge mistake that was, and how lucky he was that he had discovered it during a friendly spar, otherwise it could have cost him his life. He compared his control to that of Team 7's and found that his control was defiantly better than the boy's but way below Sakura's, who turned out to have nearly perfect control.

So with his control being higher than average, Naruto decided to finally try his hand at genjutsu and probably medical jutsu since it would be useful. So after the spars, Naruto made his normal army of clones and divided them into equal groups, one would search Uzushio again for any genjutsu, med-jutsu and taijutsu scrolls. The other would continue his elemental training, trying to channel it through Kunai and perfecting the leaf cutting. He had one watching over Inari already, and he himself would go practice with the Kyoketsu-shoge.

xXx (March 24)

Inari had been practicing his chakra control, and had mastered the Bunshin no Jutsu on the same day that Naruto had told him about. He found it hard to believe that Naruto couldn't do the jutsu. It was so easy! He had also started practicing the Kawarimi no Jutsu, which was a bit harder and had yet to perfect it.

He walked up the stairs, headed to wake up Naruto. After getting a good handle on the leaf cutting, Naruto decided to move up to the next step, cut though a waterfall. The only problem was that a there were none nearby. So Naruto had improvised, creating twice the clones and putting them in pairs and while one created and maintained a water dragon, keeping it steady, which was actually a pretty good chakra control exercise, the other clone would attempt to cut it in half.

It was no wonder, really, that Naruto slept in every day after starting the exercises, because all of that plus his other training in the areas that he had been lacking in was really draining. As he reached for the doorknob, a yelp of surprise followed by a crash of a breaking dish.

Muffled voices could be heard through the floor, but Inari could barely make them out. He turned around from the door and went back down stairs to check what had happened. Only to find his mom holding a kitchen knife pointed at two of Gato's men that held katana.

"Kaa-san?" he asked fearfully, bringing the men's attention to himself.

"Well," said Waraji, "Gato-sama asked for one hostage. What do we do with this brat?"

His partner, a shorter guy with a blue jacket and a purple hat that had white-blue hair, turned to look at Inari, "Kill him," he said simply after a moment.

Waraji moved forward, drawing his blade, "Great! I've been dying to cut into something!"

"Leave him alone!" Tsunami shouted, "You touch one hair in his head and I'll bit my tongue off!"

Zori stared at Tsunami for a bit, trying to determine if she would actually go through with her threat. If they killed the boy and she went through with it then she may bleed out and then they would have no hostages. Better to leave the boy then risk it. "Waraji, grab her and let's go," he instructed after Tsunami dropped the knife, willing to go with them if they would leave her son alone.

Inari dropped to the floor after they left. He wanted to help, but he was scared. What was he supposed to do against two huge men like that? He wasn't strong like Naruto-nii-san or like Tou-san. There wasuto-nii-san or like YT nothing he could do. He only had limited ninja training after all.

As tears rolled down Inari's face, he remembered what his Tou-san had said to him on the day they met. "If something is important to you, you protect it, even if it's painful, even if it kills you, you protect it with these two arms," that was what Kaiza had told him, and Kaa-san was definitely important to him.

Quickly grabbing the knife that Tsunami had dropped, Inari ran after her mother and the samurai that had taken her. As soon as he was out of the door, he saw the thugs half way down the docks infront of his house, he yelled, "Let Kaa-san go!"

The thugs turned around and Waraji drew his sword against while asking, "Can I kill him now, Zori?"

Zori turned around and started walking away, "Go ahead."

Waraji charged at Inari, sword ready to cut into the boy. He raised the blade, and the boy didn't move. With a smirk he drove the blade through the boys head, his smirk disappeared when he didn't feel the resistance that a skull would put up against a sword.

"Inari!" Tsunami screamed as she struggled against Zori and saw the brutal attack on her son.

In a puff of smoke, the brat disappeared leaving a shocked and unbalanced Waraji open. Inari appeared behind the man and stabbed the kitchen knife into his right arm, the pain causing the wannabe samurai to drop his blade. By the time that Zori turned after hearing the cry of pain from his partner, there were three Inari standing over Waraji, one holding the Katana that had been dropped, all three charging towards him.

Waraji stood, pulling out the knife and tossing it at the nearest clone's back, and hit the boy handle first making him disappear like the first one. "You little brat," said Waraji in an angry tone, "Show yourself!"

The bunshin holding flung it at Zori, making him move out of the way. With him out of the way, the two Inari had an open path to Tsunami.

"C'mon, Kaa-san!" said Inari urgently once he was with his mom, "We have to get out of here!"

"Too late kid!" said Zori directly behind him as he brought down his katana in a wide arc towards Inari.

Inari panicked, his clone popping out of existence, and closed his eyes. The bite of the blade never arrived however, and he opened his eyes to find Naruto, in his blue pajamas, blocking Zori's blade with the 8" blade of his kyoketsu-shoge.

"You will not touch my family!" he growled dangerously at the mercenary. Naruto kicked Zori in the stomach, sending the man tumbling back. His taijutsu was still below Sasuke's, but it was more than enough against a pair of untrained civilian mercenaries.

Naruto followed after Zori, kicking him in the ribs before he could stand. Waraji moved to attack Naruto while he was occupied, but Naruto stopped his attack without even turning around. He grabbed the thugs arm and threw him over his shoulder, straight at Zori.

As the two got up, Naruto calmly walked up to the two men. When he was feet away, Waraji charged again, his injured arm hanging limply at his side. Naruto dodged the attack and stabbed his blade into his other arm, making Waraji drop the katana and scream in pain.

Zori watched as Waraji dropped to his knees, only for the pajama wearing blonde to stab him in the chest before kicking him of the pier. Naruto walked calmly towards the hat wearing man, "That was for what you bastards did to Kaiza-tousan!" he said quietly.

Zori dropped into a defensive stance, not that it helped as he was quickly disarmed and dropped. After knocking the other mercenary unconscious man out, Naruto ran to his mother and cut her binds. "N-Naruto," she said astonished, "You just killed that man!"

Naruto nodded grimly, "I don't have time to think about that," he said as he stood back up, "If they were after us that means that they must be attacking the bridge! I have to go help! Or at least get Jiji out of there!"

Tsunami gave her son a quick hug, "You can't go yet," she said, "You're not properly equipped." She led her sons into the house and told him to wait in the hall way outside of her room. She came out a minute later holding the armored clothing she had taken from his the day of his spar with Kakashi.

The dark red shirt had been fixed and trimmed down to fit him and was now long sleeved. The Black cargo were fixed and had a few extra pockets. All in all the clothes looked brand new. "It took a while to cut around the chainmail," Tsunami explained, "In the end I just got some matching fabric and making a new set, the chainmail in the middle."

"Thanks, Kaa-chan!" Naruto said as he gave her another hug before heading to his room to change. He came out of the window, heading towards the bridge, wearing the new clothes, the chain of the Kyoketsu-shoge wrapped around his torso and waist, the blade in its sheath. He had a couple of Kunai pouches strapped onto his person. His hands were bare and he wore the same sandals he always did.

xXx (March 24)(The Bridge half hour earlier)

The entire Team 7 was heading to the bridge construction site to guard Tazuna. After the had all mastered the water walking exercise, Kakashi had no more to teach them at the moment, so instead he brought the entire team to help protect the workers.

A few shadows appeared from the mist, each carrying Zabuza's blade. "Water clone!" said Sasuke excitedly, "I'll take care of them." With that Sasuke jumped at the clones, becoming a blur. He appeared behind them before they all burst into water.

What they found was a mist covered bridge and workers out cold or dead. Before they could even begin to ponder what happened, a dark cackling came from the mist, and the shadows of both Zabuza and the Hunter-nin appeared directly in front of them.

"Well, Kakashi," Zabuza said, "It seems that your brats are actually pretty good, but where is the blonde gaki?" he asked when he noticed Naruto was not there.

"Not here," Kakashi said simply, a serious edge to his voice.

"To bad," Zabuza replied, "And here I brought my young friend to fight him. You'll have to settle for the Genin then," he said to Haku.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and asked, "What makes you think he can beat us?"

Zabuza gave a small humorless chuckle, "Even I would have trouble against him if he went all out. Though I doubt that you'll push him that far."

"Sakura, protect Tazuna. Sasuke, Hibachi, you take care of the hunter," Kakashi instructed his Genin, getting short nods I response to show that they understood, and walked away from the group and Zabuza fallowed.

Sasuke and Hibachi move forward to meet the hunter while Sakura and Tazuna moved back. "Please surrender the old man," the hunter said, "I won't have to kill you if you do."

"Hn, you won't kill us," Sasuke said with a smirk, "We have you out numbered. You don't stand a chance!"

Hibachi nodded in agreement as he drew a Kunai, "So what's the plan, Sasuke?"

"How about we start with formation 2, and then go from there?" Sasuke asked and got a nod from Hibachi. Sasuke charged at Haku, surprising the older boy. Haku dodged the first punch, Sasuke, who had seen it coming, followed it with a roundhouse. The kick made Haku back flip away, putting some distance between them.

Sasuke charged in again, going low with a sweeping kick. Haku dodged again, but Sasuke didn't let up. He sent punch after punch at the older boy, over extending on one of them and getting his arm caught. "Got you!" thought Sasuke with a smirk.

The smirk disappeared when he saw the hunter make one-handed seals. The water from the water-clones at their feet rose into the air and became needles, all pointed at Sasuke. "Sensatsu Suishō," said Haku calmly.

Sasuke was surprised, but recovered quickly and focused chakra into his feet. He released the chakra, which thrust him into the air a second before the needles crashed where he was standing.

Before Haku could move, a hand grabbed his ankle and pulled him down into the cement of the bridge, leaving only his head above ground. "Doton: Shinjū Zanshu no Jutsu!" called Hibachi as he popped out of the ground in front of Haku. "What now?" he asked smugly as Sasuke landed next to him, "I thought that you were going to kill us."

"I am," Came Haku's voice from behind them and the one in the hole turned into a log, "I will just have to not hold back anymore." They turned to find Haku going through a sequence of hand seals, "Makyō Hyōshō!"

A dome of mirrors appeared around the two Konoha Genin. "This is my ultimate technique. It's over now," said Haku emotionlessly as he stepped into a mirror from the side. They couldn't escape or keep up with him, they were finished.

Sasuke and Hibachi watched as the refection of the fake hunter ninja appeared in all the mirrors. Haku raised a hand, showing the three senbon needles in between his fingers. He released the needles, the attack coming from all directions, as if all the reflections had launched the needles.

Sasuke dodged the first wave as best he could, taking only a couple of the sharp weapons to his legs, thought they were not very deep. Hibachi was a little bit less successful, as a few needles lodged themselves into his shoulders and arms.

Sasuke growled as the attack stopped and did a string of hand sings as fast as he could, "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" he yelled before taking a deep breath and bring his hand to his mouth and used his thumb and index finger to control the rush of flame that he exhaled at the ice mirrors. The flames formed a giant sphere as the sped towards the target.

When the jutsu died out, the mirrors were intact, not even a thin layer of water had formed, meaning that the fire had done nothing to them. Haku spoke impassively, "These mirrors are invulnerable to fire, my chakra protects them from the heat. There is no getting out of this alive," he then raised his hand again, showing the younger boys more needles, "Please surrender, I would hate to have to kill you."

"Yeah right!" yelled Hibachi as he pulled senbon from his shoulder, "Like we're going to surrender and kill Tazuna-san!" Hibachi and Sasuke stood back to back, each holding a kunai to deflect the smaller needles.

"So be it," whispered Haku as he released his attack again.

xXx

Kakashi blocked another one of Zabuza's sword strikes with a Kunai. He was having a hard time fighting the Demon of the Mist in the thick mist created by the Kirigakure no Jutsu, even with his sharingan. He wished he had copied one of Naruto's Futon jutsu to blow away the mist, the boy had used only two, one with no hand seals, not that it mattered as he hadn't even seen the by use either of them directly.

Kakashi scanned the area around him wearily, waiting for Zabuza's next attack. Kakshi had heard that Zabuza like to play mind games, hold conversations with his opponents while they fought, but he had been rather quite in the current fight.

"What's wrong Zabuza?" he asked into the mist, "got nothing to say?"

"Why isn't that blonde rat here Kakashi?" Zabuza asked as he appeared Behind Kakashi and slashed downward. Kakashi blocked the attack and Zabuza jumped back into the mist. "I find it weird that you would leave your strongest student behind and bring the other punks."

"Naruto isn't my student. He is your targets grandson," Kakashi explained.

"Tou mean the kid interfered in our first battle and he didn't even know you?" Zabuza's disembodied voice asked, "Why didn't he just pull the old man out of there?"

Zabuza attacked again and Kakashi barely managed to block it. "That's pathetic!" sneered Zabuza, "There is no room for compassion in the life of a Shinobi."

xXx

Sasuke and hibachi were currently taking cover behind a box made out of four earth walls put up by Hibachi using Doton: Doroku Gaeshi. They took the time to come up with a strategy, not that Haku would allow that. As soon as fourth wall went up, they were trapped, and Haku could concentrate his attacks from the mirror directly in the top of the dome. They would have nowhere to run, not that they did before, but it was easier now to take them out.

Sasuke looked p only to see Haku launch his attack, thousands of senbon needles filled the air above their cover, both water and steel. As he looked at them they seemed to slow and their trayjectories became clear. Hibachi had seen them too, and quickly preformed seals to bring down the wall nearest him.

Sasuke, however, saw that his reaction had been to slow and that most needles were headed for his teammate. Before he could even think about it, Sasuke jumped in front of Hibachi, shielding him from the attack. Hibachi, who still hadn't noticed Sasuke's actions, slammed his hands onto the ground, bringing down the walls.

"Doton: Doroku Gaeshi" he yelled making all the walls return to the ground, "C'mon Sasuke," He called over his shoulder. When he received no answer he turned to find that his teammate was on the floor, with senbon all over his body. "Sasuke!"

Hibachi kneeled next to Sasuke, pulling his upper body onto his lap, being careful to avoid the needles. "Why Sasuke?" He asked, "Why would you take that for me? I thought you didn't like me!"

"I don't know," Sasuke answered, 'was it because of that conversation a few days ago with that guy?' he thought to himself.

xXx (March 20)

Sasuke awoke to find a feminine boy shaking his shoulders the morning after snapping at Inari and heading to the woods were he trained late into the night. The boy wore a pink kimono that didn't really didn't help people distinguish is gender. His hair was long and black, reaching to the middle of his back. "You catch a cold by sleeping out here," he told him once he saw Sasuke was awake.

Sasuke was initially suspicious of the boy, but replied once he saw a small basket full of herbs on the ground next to him. "Thanks," he said.

"You're a ninja?" he asked, pointing at Sasuke's headband, "I'm Haku by the way," he introduced himself before continuing, "Were you training out here?"

"Uchiha Sasuke," Sasuke said before answering both his questions, "Yeah, I am and I was. What are you doing?" he asked after a minute, he wanted to figure out if this guy was a threat or not.

"I'm picking some herbs to help me heal a friend of mine that was hurt," Haku explained, "Want to help?"

Sasuke nodded and stood up, after all Haku was a pretty nice guy, even if he did dress like a girl. They picked herbs for a few minutes before Haku asked a seemingly random question, "Do you have someone that is precious to you?"

Sasuke was taken aback be the sudden question but recovered and promptly replied, "No."

Haku raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?" he asked the Uchiha, "what about your teammates? Aren't they precious to you?"

"No," Sasuke replied coldly, "They are only that, teammates!" he was starting to get angry with the questioning.

"Oh," Haku said with a hint of sadness, "you should look for some. I find that you become stronger when you fight to defend those precious to you, to protect them. I was once like you," this caused Sasuke to look up at the boy, "I was all alone after my father killed my mother and then tried to kill me. I found someone that I want to protect, someone precious to me.

"You should do the same. It will give your life meaning," by this time Sasuke and Haku sat in the middle of the small clearing across from each other. Haku got up to leave and walked away before turning and saying over his shoulder, "Would you allow your teammates to die, if faced with an opponent that they couldn't handle?" and then walked away, leaving Sasuke alone to ponder this question.  
>xXx (March 24)<p>

"I guess… i couldn't let you die. I may not like you very much, Dobe… but you are my teammate…and maybe…?" Sasuke said in between hard breathes the last part with a hint of hopefulness. He knew he was dying and didn't want to leave the world having no one. Hibachi may have been annoying but Sasuke had secretly enjoyed their time on as teammate.

He had at first laughed at the boys dream, "To be the best Doton using ninja in the entire village!" he had said when they had first gotten together with their sensei and he asked for an interdiction.

"He's still out there…" Sasuke said, "My brother… I couldn't kill him… Don't… don't give up on you dream Hibachi," he could feel the darkness coming for him, "and promise to kill him for me!"

Sasuke went limp in Hibachi's arms. Tears rolled down Hibachi's cheeks, it wasn't fair! Sasuke may have been a stuck up bastard but he had been the best friend Hibachi had ever had, in his own twisted way. Hibachi could test himself against Sasuke, in fact it had been Sasuke's constant berating that had made Hibachi actually apply himself after making Genin.

"I promise, Sasuke," he whispered.

"Is this the first time you lost a friend in battle?" came Haku's annoyingly calm voice, as if he had done nothing wrong.

"You bastard!" Hibachi whispered. He felt rage running through him. "You bastard!" this time he yelled, "I'll kill you!" Hibachi went through quick hand sings, and dodged needles thrown at him by Haku. "Doton: Ganchūsō!" he yelled out. Sharp pillars rose from the concrete, slamming into the mirrors. The mirrors didn't budge at all. "W-what? That was my strongest attack!"

"Then it appears that this battle is over for you," Haku replied calmly. Senbon filled the air again. They rushed through the air, all aimed at vital points in Hibachi's body. Before they could even hit, a burst of wind knocked them off course.

"Fūton: Reppūshō!" Naruto's voice called out before he appeared standing in front of Hibachi, his hands still together from the clap that activated his jutsu, "Sorry I'm late Hibachi! Get Sasuke out of here."

xXx

Sorry about being late. I have a good excuse though. Anyways, all in all, I'm not happy with this chapter, I fell that it turned out better the first time, and then I didn't like the fact that I had to retype it. So yeah, hope you like it even though I really didn't…


	10. Chapter 10

Haku watched as the boy dressed in red and black appeared in front of Hibachi and literally blew away his attack. He was a bit worried. After all, this boy had fought Zabuza and lived, albeit with the help of another Jounin. But the boy had already made a mistake, proving that he wasn't very experienced, and strength would only get you so far in a shinobi battle.

Naruto had jumped straight into the middle of an unknown enemy technique, against an equally unknown opponent. Strength would only take him so far, after all.

Haku checked the number of Kunai left on his person, and his chakra levels. He was low in both but had more than enough to beat the blonde. "You do not wear a headband?" he asked once he noticed that Naruto wore none, "Are you not proud of you village?"

Naruto didn't answer, looking deep in thought. Haku saw this as an opening, after all an inexperienced shinobi would most likely drop his guard, even in the middle of battle. He drew a couple of Senbon and took careful aim at the pressure points in his neck that would put him in a death like state. He released the senbon, but was shocked when it was blocked by a short-sword like blade with another of about half the length perpendicular to it.

The look of deep thought never left Naruto's face. He was proud of his village, and he was a ninja. Maybe he should wear a headband. A hitai-ate from Nami, or maybe from Uzushio? Either way he would have to make them himself.

Haku threw more senbon, this time from different mirrors. With a small nod as if he had made up his mind, Naruto dodged and blocked the thin metal needles. "Thank you, Hunter-san!" Naruto said genuinely thankful, he had never thought of that before.

Haku realizing that the blonde would be a bit more difficult to defeat then he first though, decided to try to get him to simply surrender, after all he was still certain of his victory. He could not fail Zabuza-sama, his most precious person, and that would give him the strength he needed to win. "Why don't you surrender Tazuna-san?" he asked, "I would prefer not to have to kill you."

"Alright Naruto-san!" Hibachi called out from outside the dome, "We're out!"

Haku couldn't believe it, Naruto had been distracting him? Providing easy targets that Haku would try to take advantage of and not notice when Sasuke-kun and Hibachi slipped out. Haku quickly pushed his shame for dropping his guard down and decided that he would take care of them after he finished with Naruto.

"I won't do that," Naruto said answering Haku's earlier question, "That would make me a terrible grandson!"

Haku's eyes widened behind his mask in shock, did that mean that Naruto wasn't one of the Konoha ninja. "So you're fighting for someone precious to you then, Naruto-kun?" Haku couldn't help but feel a bit excited as Naruto nodded. This was the first time he would fight someone that fought for the same reason as him, for their precious people.

Sasuke's answer in the woods had disappointed greatly, but when he jumped in front of his teammate to save him, Haku knew that, no matter how much he didn't want it or denied it, Sasuke cared for his teammate. Haku could even see the start of a strong friendship between the two Konoha Genin.

But that had been different, because they were fighting because they were hired to protect Tazuna. Naruto, however, was the old man's grandson, fighting to protect his grandfather at all cost with no other obligation besides the fact that he loved the old man.

"Then let us see which of us considers our precious person more important!" Haku said with determination. He wouldn't hold back against Naruto, for that would be a mistake.

xXx

"Sasuke-kun!" shouted Sakura almost hysterically when she saw Hibachi walk out of the mist carrying Sasuke's limp body.

Hibachi put Sasuke-kun down near Tazuna and Sakura threw herself over him crying and screaming his name. She couldn't believe it. Sasuke was dead! But how? He was supposed to be the best. No one was supposed to be able to beat him! Somehow it had to be Hibachi's fault, but she would not act on it now. She was to hurt, her first love was dead.

Still she couldn't help but notice how Hibachi seemed not to care. That bastard! "Sakura-san," he called softly but she ignored him, "Haruno-san!" he said more forcefully than but as kindly as the first time, only to be ignored again. She saw, out of the corner of her teary eyes, a frown spread onto his face.

Suddenly she was pulled from Sasuke's body by strong arms. "Let me go Hibachi-baka!" she screamed in his face, struggling against his strong grip "Oh Sasuke-kun! Let me go!" Why was he trying to keep her from Sasuke-kun? Sakura felt her fist meet his head and he let her go.

Before she could even take a step, she was pulled back around and felt the sting of a slap on her cheek. She stopped struggling and her tears ceased from the shock. Hibachi had never hit her outside of a spar, it was completely against his kind-hearted nature. She held her cheek and looked on as Hibachi kneeled down next to Sasuke and started to check him over and deliver first-aid.

"You disappoint me Haruno," she jumped at the suddenness and harshness of his tone. It was well known among Team Seven that Hibachi always used honorifics unless he was angry with someone and she was slightly surprised to find that it actually stung her to be called by her last name by her teammate. "You are supposed to be the medic on the team, yet you break completely and go into hysterics as soon as Sasuke is hurt. Rin-san would be disappointed in you as well."

Hibachi's voice had lost its venom but, they hurt none the less, mostly because she knew they were true. "But he's dead…" she tried to instinctively defend but trailed of as she realized what she was saying, and started to tear up again.

She noticed Hibachi shake his head slightly through her hazy vision. "He's not dead," Hibachi said forcefully, "I noticed a weak pulse while I was carrying him back. You would have noticed it as well if you had actually been doing your job."

Sakura stood back watching Hibachi work, he was right of course and she couldn't step up and help him out of her shame. She continued to watch until she saw him go for a needle that would have done more damage of not pulled out carefully. "Don't… you can't…" she tried to advice but ended up helping him.

Hibachi stepped back and allowed Sakura to take over, smiling behind her back. She was good at medical ninjutsu, and she expertly pulled out the needles. When she pulled out the needles in his neck, Sasuke shot up taking a deep breath, startling Sakura.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura sighed in relief and more her tears changed to ones of happiness.

"I'm… alive?" Sasuke asked in disbelieve. Seconds later his face split into a genuine smile. He scanned the people around him and spotted Hibachi behind Sakura, smiling and rubbing his eyes. "Hibachi? Did…did you beat Haku?"

"No, my strongest attack did nothing," Hibachi admitted quietly, "Naruto-san helped me get you out. He's fighting Haku-san at the moment."

Sasuke unfocused gaze, became focused after hearing that and he tried to get up, "We have to go help!"

Sakura would have believed that Sasuke could defeat anyone, even in his state, only an hour ago, but now she knew that he was only a Genin that stood no chance against the enemy, much less as hurt as he was. "Calm down, Sasuke-kun," she said gently pushing him back into a laying position. She started to pull out the rest of the needles, causing the last Uchiha to grimace now that he was awake.

"There is nothing you could do to help now."

Her statement surprised even her.

xXx

Inari sat at the kitchen table on his mom's lap. He hadn't done that in years, but after what just happened it felt good to be so close to her. It kept the fear and worry at a distance, though it didn't make it go away. After all his aniki was probably fighting to the death with some other ninja to protect his Jiji, how could he not worry.

His mom must have sensed it, like only a mother could, and was just trying to make him feel better, but the sudden question, after minutes of silence caught him of guard. "How long have you been training with Naruto-kun, Inari-kun?"

"Only a few days," he answered truthfully, "Why?"

Tsunami shook her head, "How about Akiza-chan and Aoi-kun?" she asked, "Have they been training with Naruto?"

"I'm not sure," Inari said with a thoughtful expression, "I could go ask." Inari had been upset, comfortable, but upset with just sitting there and doing nothing. He wanted to help. Maybe he could get all the villagers to go help?

xXx

Senbon needles, made of steel and water, towards Naruto, only to be knocked out of the air by a long chain that swirled around in the air, the blade at the end slashing and stabbing at the dome made out of ice that surrounded him, only to bounce of harmlessly. Naruto looked like he was doing an elaborate dance, shifting the flight path of his kyoketsu-shoge and avoiding the few senbon that managed to make it through.

The chain got shorter as Naruto let it wrap around his torso. Naruto jumped behind one of the pillars that had been created by Hibachi's last Jutsu. They may have done nothing to the mirrors but it did provide a bit of cover. The only bad thing was that the chain of the kyoketsu-shoge wrapped around the many pillars, making it harder to use. But it could also be considered a good thing as it allowed Naruto to swing around the dome.

Naruto inspected the blade to find more than a few chips and an actual crack in the adjacent blade. No doubt from the mirrors. He needed to find a way to destroy them, but not even the razor sharp points of Hibachi's attack did any damage.

Maybe wind chakra could cut through them, after all, the scroll said it could cut through anything. He had practiced a bit at channeling it through his Kunai already, how much different could to be to channel it through the kyoketsu-shoge, right?

Unwrapping the chains again, Naruto channeled the wind chakra, his as closed as he concentrated on making the chakra as sharp as possible. Naruto jumped out from behind his cover, giving the blade a bit of rope, he swung his weapon towards the nearest mirror. The Kyoketsu-shoge cut right through the pillars like butter, bringing them down crashing into each other creating a thick dust that covered everything in the dome from view.

Naruto didn't need to see because the mirrors were stationary. Giving a hard yank on the chain, Naruto changed the direction it was headed and another flick of the wrist sent at another mirror with a thrusting stab.

Haku didn't know what to expect after he saw how easily the blade cut through the concrete pillars, but he knew that no matter what, it would do nothing to his mirrors. Being able to only inhabit one mirror at a time, though his opponents would say otherwise, he was unaware of the long gash running down one of his mirrors, though it was using his chakra to repair itself. So it came as a total surprise when the blade came out of the dust cloud, heading straight for them mirror he was in and stabbed itself near the top right corner, cutting harshly into his shoulder.

The blade was pulled out, causing more damage, creating a slash in another mirror.

Had it been pure luck that Naruto managed to stab him? Surely he couldn't see through the dust he created or know which mirror he was in. If he had known he would focus his attack on him, no matter that he had switched mirrors, not attacked every mirror like he was.

He had to counter, but he had no idea where Naruto was, especially if he was moving like he had been earlier. Suddenly the blade came out of the cloud again, so Haku switched mirrors. He was surprised to feel the bite of steel across one of his legs. How? He was on the other side of the dome! There was no way that He could bring the Kyoketsu-shoge around that fast.

Not wanting to too stand around and get cut up, Haku launched a volley of senbon blindly into the cloud, getting a satisfying pop from inside.

Naruto gave a wild grin after his blade came back red with the blood of his opponent, of the man that wanted to kill his Jiji. He created a couple of clones and had them attack all the mirrors. His attack met resistance in the form of a volley of senbon. The three kyoketsu-shoge's chains blocked most, but a single one got through and hit one of the clones, making burst into smoke with a load pop.

Naruto could tell that Haku was quickly running out of chakra, his attacks were fewer and farther apart and Naruto could have sworn that his clone saw a blur of green and blue exit a mirror before being destroyed. He knew that Haku must have been at least a little tired after fighting both Hibachi and Sasuke, both of whom weren't push overs. That coupled with the fact that the dome of mirrors must have taken a lot of chakra to maintain, let alone repair.

Naruto could easily out last Haku, but did he want to win his first real fight because his opponent was tired before they even started to fight. There was little he could do about it now, but he could at least try to defeat Haku before he was too tired to move.

Naruto dodged another barrage of senbon and sent his shoge's blade in the general direction of the attack. Haku suddenly appeared beside him, three needles between his fingers in each fist. Naruto jumped into the air to avoid being stabbed, but found himself defenseless when Haku released the senbon from his other hand, throwing them towards him.

Naruto let go of the chain with his right hand, letting fall to the floor as he drew a kunai and deflected the needles. Suddenly he felt the chain in his left hand become cold, and as he looked it froze over completely.

"This thing was very annoying," Haku said as he held his left shoulder with his left hand and the chain of the kyoketsu-shoge with his right hand. Before Naruto could do anything, Haku let go of his shoulder and snapped the brittle chain near the blade.

Naruto ripped the frozen chain from his hand, tearing away bits of his skin, before turning towards Haku. Naruto took notice of all the wounds on Haku's body, the worst of which was his shoulder. "You're in no condition to continue fighting," Naruto observed coldly.

"That may be," responded Haku as he got into a taijutsu stance, the ice mirrors melting rapidly around them, "But I have to help Zabuza-sama achieve his goal in any way possible, even if it means giving up my life!"

Before Naruto could say anything, Haku closed the distance between them, trying to stab Naruto with the senbon in his fists. Naruto ducked under the attack and tried to sweep Haku's legs from under him, following it up with punch when the older boy jumped into the air. They continued to exchange blows for a few minutes, Haku's moves growing sloppier by the minute.

Naruto ducked under another attack and clapped his hand together, "Fūton: Reppūshō!" A strong gale pushed Haku back and slammed him into one of the bridges support pillars. Haku landed limply at the bottom, his mask, broken half, landed next to him. The attack had done more damage than normal from the close proximity, yet Haku still struggled to his feet, but did nothing else but look on as Naruto approached him, Kunai in hand.

"I guess I failed," Haku said sadly and mostly to himself, "I couldn't defeat this boy. I thought that by destroying his weapon, he would be defenseless. I'm sorry Zabuza-sama." When Naruto approached Haku spoke in a quiet voice, but it was filled with determination, "Kill me!"

xXx  
>Sorry for the wait, I have no excuse this time. Laziness hit me, and I found no real inspiration for this and a story that I refuse to publish keeps bugging me. I was planning on getting through the rest of the wave arc in this chapter but I figured that I haven't updated in a long time.<p>

I still don't really know what to do with Haku, I have plans and Haku could fit in there but he's not really necessary. Zabuza will most likely die either way, though.

It may not be as good as I would have hoped but enjoy.


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